Become a Coyote Ninja Using Experiential Education Expanding human populations are increasing human-wildlife interactions. When these populations overlap, especially with potentially threatening species (e.g. bears, wolves, and coyotes), coexistence will need to happen between wildlife and humans. To ensure public safety and mitigate conflict, coexistence requires a properly educated and empowered public. Wildlife education is typically presented in a passive manner, through presentations, pamphlets and signage. Existing work has shown this type of knowledge dissemination alone does not often change attitudes or behavior, as there is no incentive for retention on the public’s part. Wildlife education programs may be strengthened by using more …show more content…
For example, the module becoming a coyote ninja got participants to physically practice the appropriate behaviors they should do in response to different types of interactions with coyotes (i.e., sighting vs. attack) as advocated by the government. The provincial government uses the acronym BAM (Back away, Act big, Make noise) and in the extreme off chance of a coyote attack residents are told to fight back. This module got people to practice these responses and included having participants practice fighting back by using walking sticks to defend themselves against a fake coyote. This practice helped participants understand the power they possess to defend themselves. The group work, reflection, sharing and question asking forum, and interactive and physical activities, provided a memorable platform to support …show more content…
Based on the findings, wildlife education can be more generally strengthened by sampling target audiences to better understand interests, concerns and issues. In this case, designing experiential learning outcomes that targeted the audience’s specific needs increased positive attitudes and decreased fear. Targeted experiential education provides useful tools and tangible take-aways for participants. These tools work with every age group, and can make the programming fun, engaging and creates positive, lasting,