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.
Nonhuman animals can adapt the intensity and direction of aggression to suit their individual needs and social contexts, according to a recent study.
Plants & Animals
Jul 25, 2025
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Biologging—an innovative, non-invasive method of tracking animals in the wild—is transforming how scientists study movement, behavior and social interactions. Using compact electronic devices that can remain attached ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 23, 2025
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Like humans, animals can become stressed when trying to lead a group of peers in a particular direction, a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) has shown. The paper is published in the journal Current Biology.
Plants & Animals
Jul 22, 2025
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An international team of researchers led by Dr. Corina Logan at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, conducted two studies on the foraging behavior of birds in human-modified environments.
Plants & Animals
Jul 22, 2025
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The way household dogs engage with TV may depend on their personalities, suggests research published in Scientific Reports. Excitable dogs were more likely to follow on-screen objects while fearful or anxious dogs were more ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 17, 2025
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Elephants that live near farms are more daring than their deep-forest counterparts, and that behavior could be the key to helping people and elephants get along.
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2025
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How do animals decide when to fight and when to walk, fly, slither, or swim away? Most research on animal conflict has focused on the short-term costs of single interactions, but a pair of behavioral ecologists argue that ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2025
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A world-first study reveals an acoustic interaction between plants and insects. In the study, the team focused on female moths and found that they make a critical decision—where to lay their eggs—based on sounds emitted ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2025
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Africa's tropical belt, defined by the Guinean forests of west Africa and the Congo Basin of central Africa, is globally recognized for its astounding biodiversity.
Plants & Animals
Jul 14, 2025
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Aggression is a complex behavior dependent on numerous factors such as personal experiences, upbringing, social context, personality and genetics. Florian Reichmann and his team at the Med Uni Graz Division of Pharmacology ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 14, 2025
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