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.
Living among large predatory carnivores could actually make you safer. A study published in the journal Current Biology found that pumas—wild cats also known as mountain lions, cougars or panthers—change deer behavior, leading ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 5, 2026
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Bull sharks have a slight preference for spending time with their relatives, new research shows.
Evolution
Aug 4, 2026
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Moving a pet cat from an outdoor lifestyle to living indoors is easier than many owners expect, according to new research that could help improve feline welfare, protect wildlife and ease concerns about keeping cats contained.
Ecology
Aug 4, 2026
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For male humpback whales, singing is serious business. Their haunting, complex songs can last for hours and travel for miles underwater, playing a central role in reproduction during the winter breeding season. But despite ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 3, 2026
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Scientists created an AI system that uses facial recognition and real-time touchscreen testing to automate cognitive studies of capuchin monkeys in the wild. The American Journal of Primatology published a proof-of-concept ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 1, 2026
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Ripley, a medium-sized dog with a strong prey drive, curiously approached Brian, a large western diamondback rattlesnake, until she got a quick zap on the neck meant to simulate a venomous viper's bite.
Ecology
Aug 1, 2026
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I am a runner who loves being active alongside my dogs. Actually, I am more of a plodder—and one with very bad knees. Those knees benefit from regular physiotherapy and sports massage. You might not be surprised, then, to ...
Veterinary medicine
Jul 31, 2026
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The bison carried on grazing peacefully as the flames approached, imperturbable despite the fires ravaging the land around their wildlife park west of Madrid.
Environment
Jul 31, 2026
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Entering and manipulating dreams may sound like science fiction, but for Freeman Hrabowski Scholar Walter Gonzalez, these scenarios aren't confined to the big screen.
Plants & Animals
Jul 30, 2026
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What happens after death? An international study led by the University of Granada (UGR), involving Ana Mateos and Jesús Rodríguez, researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), argues ...
Evolution
Jul 29, 2026
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