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.
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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22
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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17
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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7
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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499
New research proving bumblebees exhibit emotion-like behaviors—previously thought to exist only in mammalian species—has implications for how scientists understand the consciousness of insects.
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2026
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31
Past psychology studies have consistently highlighted the importance of social bonds for survival, showing that enduring relationships are linked with a longer life expectancy, a more resilient immune system, better cardiovascular ...
Ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in the U.S., an ozone nanobubble system has been used to keep the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool clear. Months before the celebrations, a massive cleanup ...
Bio & Medicine
Jul 6, 2026
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14
Contrary to common assumptions, pigeons do not lock their eyes in place during flight. Instead, they make slow, subtle eye movements that may help them gather more information about their surroundings.
Ecology
Jul 6, 2026
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136
Researchers are sharing lessons from the unprecedented Stanley Park coyote attacks from 2020 to 2021 to help people better coexist with urban wildlife.
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2026
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10
A rat first frees a cagemate rat and then shares food with it. Is this animal just as empathetic as humans? In an American study from 2011, researchers observed that rats first freed their fellow rats from a cage and then ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 5, 2026
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41
