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.
An international study led by the University of Portsmouth has revealed reluctance from industry scientists to test chemicals for their effects on human and wildlife behavior, despite growing evidence linking environmental ...
Environment
Oct 7, 2025
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From using moon rovers that encourage predators to hunt and forage in packs, to applying state-of-the-art algorithms to try and understand the facial expressions of Sumatran orangutans, artificial intelligence and robotics ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 6, 2025
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One of the most heartbreaking occurrences for nature lovers is to discover a beached marine mammal such as a dolphin or whale. If the animal is still alive, marine biologists assisted by citizen volunteers try to protect ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2025
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With their massive flapping ears and long trunks, it isn't hard to believe that elephants tend to rely on acoustic and olfactory cues for communication. They use gestures and visual displays to communicate as well, but we ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 2, 2025
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As sand temperatures continue to rise, concerns about the future of sea turtles are growing. Hotter nests not only skew sex ratios—producing more females—but also reduce hatchling survival, slow growth, and increase the likelihood ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 30, 2025
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The next time you watch your dog visit the same places around your yard or notice that your cat seems to explore a new area every time it ventures outside, consider this: You might be witnessing an ancient evolutionary strategy ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 29, 2025
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The waggle dance, performed by successful forager honeybees (Apis mellifera) inside the hive, is a well-known form of symbolic communication that informs nestmates about the location of resources. It is well known that the ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 29, 2025
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The animal world is incredibly colorful, and behind this color palette is a constant game of survival.
Plants & Animals
Sep 26, 2025
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Streets, walls, concrete—cities may seem like a harsh environment. Yet some animals adapt remarkably well. A new study published in Biology Letters from Bielefeld University shows that common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 24, 2025
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Scientists in Brazil recently recorded evidence that a jaguar visited an isolated island in the reservoir area of the Serra da Mesa Hydroelectric Power Dam in northern Goiás State. The same jaguar had been identified on the ...
