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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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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.
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Learned Versus Innate Behaviors ► Learned behaviors are those that are modified by experience ► Innate behaviors are those that occur despite experience or environment.
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Ibex Reintroductions ► Innate behaviors may influence the success of population translocations and reintroductions
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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.
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Sensory Perception ► Hearing ► Vision ► Olfaction ► Taste ► Tactile ► Barometric Pressure ► Magnetic Fields
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Hearing ► Hearing Receptors Communication Effects of anthropomorphic noise
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Vision ► Vision Receptors Communication Phototaxis Photo-pollution
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Olfaction and Taste Olfaction Receptors Allomones Pheremones Taste Receptors Conditioned taste aversion Communication Vomeronasal organ Vomeronasal organ in elk
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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
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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
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Methods for Testing Hypotheses ► Observations ► Field Journals ► Behavioral sampling ► Measuring behaviors
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Direct Versus Indirect Observations ► Direct (observing and recording the actual behaviors) ► Indirect (tracks, markings, feces, hair, etc.)
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Types of Direct Sampling ► Ad Libitum ► Focal-Animal ► Scan
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Types of Measurements ► Time budgets ► Frequencies ► Duration ► Latency ► Intensity ► Bouts
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New Tools and Concepts ► Software ► Activity Sensors and GPS ► Robotics ► Sound Arrays ► High tech cameras
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Managing Human Behavior ► Wildlife viewing ► Recreation conflicts ► Habitat fragmentation ► Habitat loss
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Using Our Understanding of Animal Behavior to Manage and Recover Species
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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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