Animal behavior is the scientific study of the observable actions, interactions, and behavioral patterns of animals, typically investigated within ethology, behavioral ecology, and comparative psychology. It encompasses mechanisms (proximate causes such as neural, hormonal, and genetic control), development (ontogeny and learning), function (adaptive value in survival and reproductive success), and evolution (phylogenetic history and divergence among taxa). Research on animal behavior quantifies activities such as foraging, mating systems, parental care, communication, social organization, and antipredator strategies, often integrating experimental, observational, and modeling approaches to understand how behavior emerges from organism–environment interactions and contributes to fitness and ecological dynamics.
The daily movements of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba) in the forest are determined by an interplay of environmental, behavioral and social factors. This is one of the conclusions of a study conducted in Brazil and ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
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Scientists observed spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) playing in the wild and found that their precise, sophisticated communication is on par with that of many primate species. Hyenas play and romp with one another at all ...
Plants & Animals
4 hours ago
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Two new studies examining gray wolves in California paint a complex picture of life on the state's ranching landscapes: Wolves eat cattle more than anything else, and the presence of the predators causes significant stress ...
Plants & Animals
7 hours ago
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5
Long before the dawn of modern parenting, animals laid eggs and moved on, leaving their progeny to fend for themselves. Now, a study published in Nature uncovers one of the elegant ways evolution transformed neglect into ...
Evolution
8 hours ago
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New research suggests that heat stress increases the occurrence of same-sex sexual interactions between male burying beetles—but also that a surprising number of male–male encounters occur under control conditions. This ongoing ...
Plants & Animals
9 hours ago
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6
Research by Oregon State University biologists suggests that toxic air stemming from wildfires won't necessarily prompt animals to flee in search of better breathing conditions. The study of American robins led by OSU's Jamie ...
Plants & Animals
12 hours ago
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5
It's easy for us to tell if someone is enjoying their meal or not. They lick their lips if they like it, grimace if they don't.
Ecology
Jul 7, 2026
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Unexpectedly low calf numbers within the spinner dolphin population off Hawaiʻi Island were revealed in a study led by scientists with the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, along ...
Ecology
Jul 7, 2026
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Movement data from wild predator–prey encounters and controlled human catch-tag games have been combined to create realistic simulations of high-intensity movement dynamics and energetics—before being transformed into a publicly ...
Ecology
Jul 7, 2026
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6
Every year, thousands of parrots confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade arrive at rehabilitation centers across Latin America. For many of these birds, rescue centers can provide safety but not necessarily a path back ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2026
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