Tag archives for animal behavior
Cool Math 101: Physicists Use Fluid Dynamics To Study Penguin Huddles
Posted by Alyson Foster on November 19, 2012 
What do the members of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics discuss during their annual meetings? Math, usually. Lots of math. But this week they’ll also be talking about something a little different: penguins.
Should We Import Belugas for Display?
Posted by Virginia Morell of SCIENCE on October 22, 2012 
If you’re an animal lover, you’ve probably heard by now about the 18 beluga whales that a group of U.S. marine park and aquarium owners wants to import from Russia. The 18 whales were captured in the wild off the Siberian coast specifically to be put on display—that is, for our entertainment. And that’s where the issue gets sticky. Because we now know from numerous animal behavior studies—in laboratories and in natural habitats–that all mammals are thinking and feeling beings.
Scientists Study the Mystery of the Dung Beetle “Dance”
Posted by Alyson Foster on January 23, 2012 
The dung beetle is an intriguing insect for more than one reason, but scientists have been particularly mystified by the “dance” the beetles perform while atop their balls of dung. In a recent study, a group of researchers set out to figure out what causes this unusual behavior.
Posted by The plot of the new movie War Horse is driven by the deep, powerful bond between a boy named Albert and his horse, Joey, who both end up serving in World War I. Watching it made us wonder: What do we really know about horses’ emotions? Carissa Wickens, an assistant professor in equine science at the University of Delaware, provides answers…
Cat Fight? Try Guppy Fight
Posted by Alyson Foster on October 12, 2011 
It doesn’t matter what your species is: the opposite sex causes you nothing but trouble. Scientists at the University of Exeter found that female guppies are more likely to fight with each other if a male is present.
In the new film Zookeeper, Kevin James stars as a bumbling zookeeper who seeks relationship advice from his closest friends—the animals. Different animals at the zoo take turns giving their view on how to get the girl. But do these cinematic animals know what they’re talking about? We talked to biologists to get the truth about animal mating. Here’s a look at the animals’ advice in the movie, and whether or not it holds up:
Posted by This brief, adorable home video of a sleeping kitten and its mother has gone viral in the past week, attracting more than 18 million views on YouTube. One version is titled “Cat Hugs Baby Kitten Having Nightmare.” To find out if feline science backs up that anthropomorphic explanation, we talked to Dr. Nicholas Dodman, director of the animal behavior clinic at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine…
