The article introduces an information-theoretic paradigm for analyzing ecological data, based on Kullback–Leibler (KL) information, which extends likelihood theory and avoids the pitfalls of null hypothesis testing. This approach emphasizes the development of multiple working hypotheses or models, which are then ranked and scaled using the likelihood of each model given the data. The method includes a variance component due to model selection uncertainty, allowing for more robust inference. The authors recommend separating inferences based on a priori considerations from those resulting from data dredging, emphasizing the importance of careful justification of models. The article provides a detailed explanation of the method, including the calculation of Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) and its variants, and discusses the application of these methods in various ecological studies. An example from elephant seal tag loss data is used to illustrate the application of the information-theoretic approach. The authors conclude by emphasizing the practical and philosophical advantages of the information-theoretic paradigm in ecological research.The article introduces an information-theoretic paradigm for analyzing ecological data, based on Kullback–Leibler (KL) information, which extends likelihood theory and avoids the pitfalls of null hypothesis testing. This approach emphasizes the development of multiple working hypotheses or models, which are then ranked and scaled using the likelihood of each model given the data. The method includes a variance component due to model selection uncertainty, allowing for more robust inference. The authors recommend separating inferences based on a priori considerations from those resulting from data dredging, emphasizing the importance of careful justification of models. The article provides a detailed explanation of the method, including the calculation of Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) and its variants, and discusses the application of these methods in various ecological studies. An example from elephant seal tag loss data is used to illustrate the application of the information-theoretic approach. The authors conclude by emphasizing the practical and philosophical advantages of the information-theoretic paradigm in ecological research.