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Jessica Young Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences Western State College of Colorado Gunnison, Colorado 81231 Animal Behavior.

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Presentation on theme: "Jessica Young Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences Western State College of Colorado Gunnison, Colorado 81231 Animal Behavior."— Presentation transcript:

1 Jessica Young Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences Western State College of Colorado Gunnison, Colorado 81231 Animal Behavior

2 Introduction ► Animal behavior, or Ethology, is a key component to the management and conservation of species. ► The study of animal behavior is critical for elucidating consequences to species of anthropomorphic changes to habitats.

3 Learned Versus Innate Behaviors ► Learned behaviors are those that are modified by experience ► Innate behaviors are those that occur despite experience or environment.

4 Ibex Reintroductions ► Innate behaviors may influence the success of population translocations and reintroductions

5 Animal Perceptions ► Umwelt is a termed coined by J. von Uexkall to describe how an animal senses their environment. ► Our preconceived ideas based on how Homo sapiens perceive their environment through their senses may cause a lack of success with management actions and conservation measures.

6 Sensory Perception ► Hearing ► Vision ► Olfaction ► Taste ► Tactile ► Barometric Pressure ► Magnetic Fields

7 Hearing ► Hearing  Receptors  Communication  Effects of anthropomorphic noise

8 Vision ► Vision  Receptors  Communication  Phototaxis  Photo-pollution

9 Olfaction and Taste Olfaction  Receptors  Allomones  Pheremones Taste  Receptors  Conditioned taste aversion  Communication  Vomeronasal organ Vomeronasal organ in elk

10 Tactile  Receptors  Communication Species may shift their sensory perception of the environment based on their age, time of day, or season. Examples ticks, black bears

11 Forming Hypotheses About the Influence of Animal Behavior on Wildlife Management ► Ultimate Hypotheses  Those involving evolution and development ► Proximate Hypotheses  Those involving function and causation

12 Methods for Testing Hypotheses ► Observations ► Field Journals ► Behavioral sampling ► Measuring behaviors

13 Direct Versus Indirect Observations ► Direct (observing and recording the actual behaviors) ► Indirect (tracks, markings, feces, hair, etc.)

14 Types of Direct Sampling ► Ad Libitum ► Focal-Animal ► Scan

15 Types of Measurements ► Time budgets ► Frequencies ► Duration ► Latency ► Intensity ► Bouts

16 New Tools and Concepts ► Software ► Activity Sensors and GPS ► Robotics ► Sound Arrays ► High tech cameras

17 Managing Human Behavior ► Wildlife viewing ► Recreation conflicts ► Habitat fragmentation ► Habitat loss

18 Using Our Understanding of Animal Behavior to Manage and Recover Species

19 Summary ► Animal behavior is a key component of wildlife management and conservation of species. ► It is important to understand how species senses and perceptions influence their behavioral actions. ► Formal hypotheses testing is an important process to understanding the role of animal behavior in managing and recovering species. ► New methods and technologies are providing unprecedented information about species behaviors. ► Species use of their habitats as well as foraging and mating needs can best be understood through the study of animal behavior.


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