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Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour p.1
Objectives• Toinvestigatehowanimals’learnedandinnatebehavioursaremanagedintheZoo.
• ToexploretheZootocomparesocialarrangementsandsurvivalstrategies.
• Todevelopyourunderstandingofthelinkbetweeninvestigationandanimal
behaviourtheories.
• Topresentyourfindingsforpeerreviewanddebate,usingscientificlanguageandknowledge.
Theseobjectivessupportthelearningofstudentstowardsachievingachievementstandard3.4:
Describeanimalandplantresponsesinrelationtoenvironmentalfactors.
This worksheet will give you more information on the following topics:
• Innateversuslearnedbehaviour
(theroleoftrainingandenrichmentinaZoo)
• Solitaryversusgroupliving
• Interandintra-specificinteractions
• Reproductionstrategies
ReadtheinformationandanswerthequestionsasyouexploretheZoo.
Thefinalpageofthisworksheetasksyoutocompleteextended
animalobservations.
Innate versus learned behaviourAsyouexploretheZooyouwillseevariousexamplesofanimalbehaviour.
What sort of behaviour would you like to investigate?
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Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour p.2
Innate versus learned behaviour (cont.)Thebehaviouryouseemaybeinnate,i.e.unlearned,suchasalizardpokingoutitstonguetotaste
or‘smell’theairaroundit.
What are some other examples of innate behaviours that you might observe in the Zoo?
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Anothertypeofbehaviouryoumayobserveislearnedbehaviours,suchaschimpanzees
pair-grooming.
What is the reason for this type of behaviour? How is it learnt? What other examples of learned behaviours might you observe in the Zoo?
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In a captive environment, the behaviour of animals can be modified in a number of ways, primarily through training and enrichment.
Case study: Sun bear training
Purpose• Formedicalprocedures.Thispictureisofakeeper
conditioningasunbeartocooperateduringmedical
procedures,(e.g.dentalhygiene,takingtemperature,
anddrawingblood)
• Forhusbandrypurposes,e.g.movingadangerous
animalfromonepartoftheenclosuretoanotherfor
safecleaningoftheenclosure
• Forvisitorinteraction,e.g.trainingacockatootofly
aroundtheWildTheatre.
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p.3Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Have you ever trained an animal (or a person!)? What was the process and outcome of the training? If you haven’t, how would you train a pet to perform a desired behaviour, such as getting a dog to sit on command?
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How does it work?
• Keepersneedtohaveagoodunderstandingoftheanimals’naturalhistory,individualhistory,
andindividualbehaviour.Forexample,Seanourmalesunbearisarescuebear,whowas
relocatedtoWellingtonZoofromPerthZoo.HewassenttoAustraliabyFreetheBearsafter
hewasfoundoutsideastoreinCambodiain1996.
(findoutmoreaboutFreetheBearshere:www.freethebears.org.au).
• Keepersuseconditioning,whichisaprocessofbehaviourmodification,totrainthesunbears
toperformadesiredbehaviour,forexampletoopentheirmouthsonsignal.Cues,criteria,
bridgingstimuli,reinforcements(bothfoodandnon-food),andreinforcementschedulesare
usedtohelptrainbehaviours.Itisimportanttoknowwhattheanimals’primarysensory
modalitiesare(e.g.sight,sound,smell)inordertoselectthebesttrainingtools.
Forexample,sunbearshaverelativelypooreyesight;thereforeavisualcuewon’tbeas
effectiveasanauditorycue.
• Foodasreward!Rewardingtheanimalwhenitachievesthedesiredbehaviourisakeystep
inthetrainingprocess.Itisimportantthatthekeeperknowswhatfoodtheanimalloves
themost,whichcouldthenbeusedforpositivereinforcement.E.g.forthesunbears,
keepersusegrapesandpears,andaspecialhoneyandwatermix.
• Keepersalsoneedtoknowwhatmedicalconditionsarecommontotheparticularspecies,so
thattheycandeveloptrainingthatwillfacilitatethemonitoringofthatcondition.
Forexample,thecarnivorekeepershavetrainedthesunbearstopresenttheirpawsfor
sprayinggelontheircrackedskin,aconditioncommontosunbears.
When does training take place?• Trainingoccursonaregularbasis,varioustimesduringaweeklyperiod,inordertomaintain
behaviours.Thetimingofthetrainingwilldependonwhenthespeciesismostactiveinthe
wild;thisiswhentheywillbemostreceptivetothekeepertrainingthem.
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p.4Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Attend our animal talks so that you can see animal training in action! What evidence of animal training can you gather from around the Zoo?
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Case study: Enrichment with the otters
Purpose• Topromotespecificnaturalbehaviours,
e.g.foragingorexploring
• Toprovideastimulatingenvironment
• Toincreasephysicalfitness.
How does it work?
Thekeyideawithanimalenrichmentisthatthemosteffectiveenrichmentisusuallynoveland
random!Enrichmentcanbesomethingsimplelikechangingthelayoutoftheanimal’senclosure,for
example;itcouldinvolvetextures,suchasdifferentsubstrates(flooring);smells;sounds;toys;and
feedersorfoodpresentation.
Theabovepictureisofoneofourottersusingitssensitivefrontpawstodigfoodoutof
aspecialfeeder.
What are the benefits of this type of enrichment? What other enrichment do you think would be great to use with an otter?
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p.5Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Solitary versus group livingThesocialorganisationofanimalsandtheirbehaviouraladaptationsaffecttheirabilitytosurvive
andreproduce,andsoaretheproductsofnaturalselection.Fewanimalsleadtotallysolitarylives
andmayliveincooperativegroupsforallorpartoftheirlives.
Case study: Solitary living with the Sumatran tigerSumatrantigersareanexampleofasolitaryanimal.
Theyspendmostoftheirliveswithoutothersoftheirspecies,
onlycomingtogethertomateorraisetheiryoung.
What are the advantages of solitary living? What are the disadvantages?
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ThetwoSumatrantigerswecurrentlyhouseintheZooareamother,Cantik,andherson,Rokan.
Inthewild,whenoffspringbecomeindependent,theyoungsterwilleitherleaveonitsownorbe
rejectedbyitsparent.
How do you think the Zoo manages this particular innate behaviour in a captive environment?
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p.6Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Case study: Group living with the capuchin and spider monkeysTherearemanyexamplesofgrouplivingatWellingtonZoo.Theseareanimalsofthesamespecies
thathaveformedapermanentgroupofadultsthatlivetogether.
Which animals can you identify as ‘social animals’?
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What are the advantages of group living? What are the disadvantages?
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Capuchinandspidermonkeysaretwoexamplesofsocialanimals.Theyliveinalargetroop,which
ismadeupofindividuals,livingtogetherinanorganisedway,whereresourcesandactivitiesare
dividedandtheyrelyoneachotherforsurvival.
Itisimportantforkeeperstounderstandthetypicalgroupsize,structure,andanydominance
relationships,sothattheycanhelpmanagegroupdynamics.
Intra and inter specific interactionsTherearetwodifferenttypesofanimalinteractions:intraspecific,andinterspecific.Identifythetype
ofinteractionfromthefollowingexamples:
• Apackofdingoeshuntingakangaroo.
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• Onemeerkatcallstoothermeerkatswithinitsmob,alertingthemtopotentialdanger.
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WhenstudyingorobservinganimalinteractionsintheZoo,thereareanumberofbehavioursyou
shouldlookoutfor,including:competition,display,pairbonding,aggression,andsubmission.
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Case study: Intraspecific interactions with the chimpanzees
WellingtonZoo’svariousprimatespeciesareexcellentsubjectsforthestudyofintraspecific
interactions.
Wehave12chimpanzees,theoldestSam,whowasbornin1977,and
theyoungest,Malika,wasbornin2010.
What sort of behaviours do you expect to observe in a chimpanzee troop?
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Chimpanzeesliveintroopswithaclearhierarchy,wherethereiscompetitionforthealphamale
position.Inthewild,youngfemalestransfertoothergroupstobreed.
How do you think the dominant male maintains his position? What are the advantages of being a dominant male?
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Parentalcareisimportantforchimpanzees.Chimpanzeesaremoreevolved‘culturally’thanother
mammalspecies;thereforetherearealotmorelearnedbehaviours.
Observe the chimpanzees in our troop and see if you can identify specific behaviours that indicate their cultural evolution. Note them down here:
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p.7Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
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Reproduction strategiesAnimalsareclassifiedwithinaparticularreproductionstrategy,accordingtothedegreeto
whichmalesandfemalesbondduringcourtship,thenumberofyoungborn,andtheextentof
parentalcare.
Case study: Reproduction strategies with the ostriches, tuatara, and lions95%ofbirdsaremonogamous,breedingwithonlyonepartnerforonebreedingseason,several
seasons,oruntildeathofonepartner.Inbirdsmost‘courting’isdonebythemales.
What are some examples of bird courtship, such as song?
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Why is courtship necessary?
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Amongmostgroupsofanimals,maleparentalcareisrare.Inbirds,however,itisquitecommon.
Territoryandnestsitedefense,incubation,andchickfeedingcanbesharedtasks.Ostricheshave
communalnests,madebythemale,withonedominantfemaleandmaleincubatingfortheother
females,usually25eggsarelaid,butnearlyhalfdon’thatch.Theparentskeepclosewatchover
thechicksconstantly,leadingthemtofood,waterandprovidingshadeforthem.
Comparethisstrategywithareptile,likethetuatara,wheresexualdevelopmentisslowandlittle
parentalcareisgiven.
p.8Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Tuatarareachsexualmaturityaroundtento13yearsofage,withthe
femaleproducingaclutchofbetweensixtoteneggs,onaverage,once
everyfouryears.Matingoccursinlatesummerandeggsarelaid
undergroundinspecialnestingburrowssomemonthslater.Theeggs
hatchafter12-14monthsincubationandtheyoungfendforthemselves.
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p.9Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Nowconsiderthereproductionstrategyoflions.Thesizeofalion’slitter
dependsontheageanddietaryconditionofthemother.However,itis
usuallyonetofourcubs.Thelionpridesynchronisesreproductionsothat
theycanraisetheircubstogether,withfemalessucklingothercubsas
wellastheirown.
Ifaprideistakenoverbyanewmale,hewillmostlikelykillanyexisting
cubs,lessthantwoyearsofage.Hewillthenbreedwiththefemales,
ensuringthatthegenesofthefittestmalearepassedon.
What influence do environmental conditions have on an animals’ reproduction strategy?
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p.10Journey of Discovery - Animal Behaviour
Select two groups of animals to observe, and observe each group of animals for 10 minutes. Note down any of the behaviours listed as they occur during your observation.
BehaviourGrooming:Selfgrooming
Samesexgrooming
Male/femalegrooming
Communication:Aggressivefacialdisplay
Aggressiveaction
Aggressivenoise
Submissiveaction
Communicatingwithahuman
Parental Care:Motherfeedingyoung
Mothercarryingyoungaround
Mothergroomingyoung
Otherfemalesinteractingwithyoung
Malesinteractingwithyoung
Locomotion:Climbing
Brachiation
Quadrupedalism
Knucklewalking
Bipedalism
Remainingstill
Tool use:Useofsticks
Useofstonesasweapons
Youngplayingtogether
Adult/youngplaying
Adultsplayingtogether
Feeding / Foraging:Sleeping / Relaxing:Mating Behaviour:
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