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.
Whether you call him groundhog, woodchuck, whistle-pig or use the full genus and species name, Marmota monax, the nation's premier animal weather forecaster has been making headlines as Punxsutawney Phil for decades.
Plants & Animals
Jan 27, 2026
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17
Extreme heat is forcing Western Australia's critically endangered western ringtail possum (Ngwayir) to cut back on vital activity and feeding, new research shows.
Plants & Animals
Jan 27, 2026
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61
A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters. ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 26, 2026
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850
Incidents that make us consider the relationship between humans and wild animals are happening all over Japan, from bear attacks to crop damage by wild animals. How should we interpret the current situation, and how should ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 26, 2026
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17
In a new study Indiana University researchers observed episodic memory in rats to a degree never documented before, suggesting that rats can serve as a model for complex cognitive processes often considered exclusively human. ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 24, 2026
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104
Animal survival depends on effective attack and defense strategies, yet how these behaviors arise remains unclear. Addressing this question, a recent study shows that predator and prey behaviors emerge naturally as stable ...
Ecology
Jan 22, 2026
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38
For social animals, encounters between rival groups can often lead to conflict. While some species avoid this by maintaining fixed territories, others, like the feral horses, live in a "multilevel society" where multiple ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 20, 2026
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67
Researchers from the University of St Andrews have developed an AI tool that reads animal movement from video and turns it into clear, human-readable descriptions, making behavioral analysis faster, cheaper, and scalable ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 20, 2026
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35
Sealed surfaces, artificial light and constant noise: What is part of everyday life for humans poses major challenges for other animals. A new international review conducted by researchers from Bielefeld University now reveals ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 20, 2026
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47
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University and Chester Zoo analyzed thousands of images from 415 gardens, alongside each garden's specific characteristics, to examine how often hedgehogs were detected and which features most ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 20, 2026
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119
