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.
In animal societies as in human ones, some individuals regularly produce resources while others appropriate them. Contrary to what evolutionary theories had previously suggested, these social roles do not depend solely on ...
Ecology
Apr 1, 2026
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Accents are usually thought of as a human trait, indicating where a person has grown up or the communities they belong—and new research shows the same dialects can also occur in Australia's largest carnivorous bat.
Plants & Animals
Apr 1, 2026
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Chicks, just like pets, also benefit from gentle human touch, new research has revealed. Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that gentle human interactions do not only prevent fear in baby chicks but also ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 30, 2026
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47
The rainforests of northern Australia are home to extraordinary ant colonies. Instead of dwelling in underground burrows, these ants inhabit canopies of trees, dozens of meters above the ground, inside hollow spheres they ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 30, 2026
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Seals are carnivorous marine mammals that are well adapted to hunting for fish underwater, where visibility is poor. In such conditions, seals rely on their highly sensitive whiskers to detect tiny water movements left behind ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 29, 2026
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75
Ever woken up to find that a crafty raccoon has overturned your garbage bin and spread the discarded contents of your life across the street? Raccoons—sometimes referred to as "trash pandas"—are renowned as excellent innovators ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 28, 2026
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67
It is not unusual for laboratory monkeys to engage in abnormal repetitive behaviors (ARBs), such as pacing and hair-plucking. Conventional thinking is that these actions are linked to recent stresses or current housing conditions. ...
Squirrels are usually willing to climb higher to reach their favorite foods, shows new research appearing in Animal Behaviour. Extensive lab studies have found that animals "devalue" rewards that cost extra time and effort—for ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 26, 2026
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New research from the Dog Aging Project and Texas A&M University highlights that for many families, losing a dog means losing a family member—and that the grief is profound regardless of how a pet dies. The studies underscore ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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14
In February 2023, a resident at Kyoto University's Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior—EHUB—treated researchers to a spontaneous musical performance. Ayumu, a 26-year-old male chimpanzee, removed floorboards ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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