Words Matter

The words we use when we speak about wildlife - especially species like the coyote - really matters. Language shapes perception - how we think and feel about something, so we should choose words wisely and with care. Accurate, objective language can not only reduce anxiety and unnecessary fear but also helps to foster a clearer, more informed understanding of an animal's behavior.

Take the word “habituated,” for example. In wildlife biology, habituation refers to an animal no longer responding to a repeated, non-threatening stimulus. However, this doesn’t accurately describe what we see in urban coyotes. Coyotes may learn to tolerate aspects of the urban environment - noise, lights, cars, and even the presence of people -when there’s a payoff, like access to reliable food rewards. But they do not become indifferent to humans. Coyotes retain a healthy fear and wariness of people. Always.

More appropriate terms include conditioned, tolerate, and tolerance. For example, coyotes increase their proximity tolerance - they learn to tolerate being closer to humans when the benefits outweigh the perceived risk.

Avoid emotionally charged words like bold or aggressive, which carry negative connotations and can reinforce fear or misunderstandings. Instead, the word reactive can be used to describe protective or defensive behavior. For instance, coyotes may become more reactive to dogs during spring and summer where pups are nearby.

Similarly, instead of using the word attack due to its ambiguity and the alarm it can cause, describe an event with precision: physical contact, bite, scratch, defensive display, or posturing - to help tease out what actually occurred.

To describe a coyote following a person walking a dog, instead of stalking, which implies a predatory threat, escorting or vigilant shadowing more accurately describes a coyote exhibiting a protective behavior intended to keep a canine competitor away from its pups or a prized food resource.

Further, the words interact and engage, can be used to describe communication between dogs and coyotes, with altercation used to describe a dispute or quarrel.

Ultimately, our language reflects our values. Let's be accurate and informed.