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.
A study has found that young chimpanzees develop distinct population-specific vocal patterns as they mature (ontogeny), challenging the long-held assumption that their calls are inflexible and determined solely by genetics. ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 3, 2026
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Along the sandy banks of northern India's Chambal River, crocodile-like gharials glide silently through the water—but if a gharial spots a stranger, the quiet may be punctuated by a series of explosive pops.
Plants & Animals
Sep 3, 2026
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Researchers in Chile have designed an unlikely new garment for injured penguins—snug red vests threaded with copper and zinc that they hope will help the aquatic birds heal faster.
Plants & Animals
Sep 3, 2026
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The plot of "Finding Nemo," a film that features an overprotective single father fish taking on dangers at sea to care for his son, may be more reflective of actual fish dad behavior than was previously known. A new study ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 2, 2026
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On a high Norwegian plateau in late May, patches of bare ground begin to appear through the snow, and with them arrive some of Europe's most approachable birds. Eurasian dotterels breed on exposed mountain ridges and Arctic ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 2, 2026
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As climate warming pushes many species toward cooler environments, high-elevation areas are expected to play an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation. A new study by the Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 2, 2026
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New research from the University of St Andrews has developed a novel hypothesis of how firelight was critical to the evolution of sophisticated storytelling.
Evolution
Sep 1, 2026
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The temporal structure of speech rhythms resembles that of the communication signals of numerous animal species. This is shown by a study conducted by a research team from the Leibniz Center for General Linguistics (ZAS) ...
Evolution
Sep 1, 2026
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Despite protections, blue whales remain endangered, primarily because of the risk of collisions with ships. MBARI's Blue Whale Observatory uses a suite of technologies to study these animals and their primary food source, ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 31, 2026
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121
The Tasmanian tiger hunted more like a fox than its fearsome namesake, according to a new UniSC biomechanics study of predatory animals across the globe. The University of the Sunshine Coast-led research, published in BMC ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 31, 2026
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