Animal Behavior

Survival Behavior order to stay alive: Obtain food -animals must do many things in order to stay alive: Obtain food -animals have different methods of obtaining food -depends on their environment -adapted to get food using the least amount of energy Avoid being eaten -predators eat other animals -prey are hunted & eaten by predators -many animals have developed ways to prevent becoming prey

Hiding out -camouflage-blending in with surroundings- helps animals to avoid being seen by predators Defense mechanisms -some animals have built-in defenses EX: horns or spines, stingers, chemical sprays, & poisons Danger! -not all animals defenses are visible -use warning coloration to warn predators about the danger of attacking them

Marking Territory Competition -members of the same species might compete for food or mates -some animals claim their territory -territory is an area that is occupied by one animal or by a group of animals -do not allow other members of the species to enter -use their territories for mating, raising young, and finding food

Courtship -animals need mates to reproduce -reproduction essential for survival -have special behaviors, called courtship, that help them find a mate

Why act that way? -survival behaviors and other behaviors not dependent upon learning or experience called innate behavior -innate behaviors are genetic and may be evident at birth, or take months or years to develop -behaviors that have been modified or learned from experience or observation called learned behavior -nearly all animals can, and do, learn INNATE BEHAVIOR LEARNED BEHAVIOR

Seasonal Behavior -animals must deal with the harsh conditions of winter *bitter cold *lack of food -travel to different places -collect and store food -burrow into the ground *Travel - many animals migrate to escape harsh conditions, find food/water, or reproduce in a safe environment

*Slowing down – can help animals deal with food and water shortages hibernation -period of inactivity and decreased body temperature used by some animals during winter -survive on stored body fat -lowered *temperature *breathing *heart rate estivation -similar to hibernation -experienced during the hottest part of the summer

Rhythm of Life -animals have and internal calendar called a biological clock -tells them when to migrate, store food, etc. -keep track of and control lots of different cycles EX: when to eat, sleep, and wake up daily cycles -these cycles called circadian rhythms

Finding Their Way -animals use landmarks, the sun, the stars, smell, and even the earth's magnetic field to help guide them bats use echolocation, a type of sonar, to find their way around