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

Jessica YoungJessica Young

Department of Natural and Environmental SciencesDepartment of Natural and Environmental Sciences

Western State College of ColoradoWestern State College of Colorado

Gunnison, Colorado 81231Gunnison, Colorado 81231

Animal BehaviorAnimal Behavior

IntroductionIntroduction► Animal behavior, or Animal behavior, or

Ethology, is a key Ethology, is a key component to the component to the management and management and conservation of species.conservation of species.

► The study of animal The study of animal behavior is critical for behavior is critical for elucidating consequences to elucidating consequences to species of anthropomorphic species of anthropomorphic changes to habitats.changes to habitats.

Learned Versus Innate BehaviorsLearned Versus Innate Behaviors

► Learned behaviors are Learned behaviors are those that are modified by those that are modified by experienceexperience

► Innate behaviors are those Innate behaviors are those that occur despite that occur despite experience or experience or environment.environment.

Ibex ReintroductionsIbex Reintroductions

►Innate behaviors may Innate behaviors may influence the success influence the success of population of population translocations and translocations and reintroductionsreintroductions

Animal PerceptionsAnimal Perceptions

►Umwelt is a termed coined by J. von Uexkall to Umwelt is a termed coined by J. von Uexkall to describe how an animal senses their describe how an animal senses their environment. environment.

►Our preconceived ideas based on how Homo Our preconceived ideas based on how Homo sapiens perceive their environment through their sapiens perceive their environment through their senses may cause a lack of success with senses may cause a lack of success with management actions and conservation measures. management actions and conservation measures.

Sensory PerceptionSensory Perception

► HearingHearing► VisionVision► OlfactionOlfaction► TasteTaste► TactileTactile► Barometric PressureBarometric Pressure► Magnetic FieldsMagnetic Fields

HearingHearing

►HearingHearing ReceptorsReceptors Communication Communication Effects of Effects of

anthropomorphic anthropomorphic noisenoise

VisionVision

►VisionVision ReceptorsReceptors Communication Communication PhototaxisPhototaxis Photo-pollutionPhoto-pollution

Olfaction and TasteOlfaction and TasteOlfactionOlfaction

ReceptorsReceptors AllomonesAllomones PheremonesPheremones

TasteTaste ReceptorsReceptors Conditioned taste aversionConditioned taste aversion CommunicationCommunication Vomeronasal organVomeronasal organ

Vomeronasal organ in elkVomeronasal organ in elk

TactileTactile

ReceptorsReceptors Communication Communication

Species may shift their sensory perception of the Species may shift their sensory perception of the environment based on their age, time of day, or environment based on their age, time of day, or season. season.

Examples ticks, black bearsExamples ticks, black bears

Forming Hypotheses About the Forming Hypotheses About the Influence of Animal BehaviorInfluence of Animal Behavior

on Wildlife Management on Wildlife Management

► Ultimate HypothesesUltimate Hypotheses Those involving evolution and Those involving evolution and

developmentdevelopment► Proximate HypothesesProximate Hypotheses

Those involving function and Those involving function and causationcausation

Methods for Testing HypothesesMethods for Testing Hypotheses

►ObservationsObservations►Field JournalsField Journals►Behavioral samplingBehavioral sampling►Measuring behaviorsMeasuring behaviors

Direct Versus Indirect Direct Versus Indirect ObservationsObservations

►Direct (observing and recording the actual behaviors)Direct (observing and recording the actual behaviors)

►Indirect (tracks, markings, feces, hair, etc.)Indirect (tracks, markings, feces, hair, etc.)

Types of Direct SamplingTypes of Direct Sampling

►Ad LibitumAd Libitum►Focal-AnimalFocal-Animal►ScanScan

Types of MeasurementsTypes of Measurements

►Time budgetsTime budgets►FrequenciesFrequencies►DurationDuration►LatencyLatency►IntensityIntensity►BoutsBouts

New Tools and ConceptsNew Tools and Concepts

► SoftwareSoftware► Activity Sensors and Activity Sensors and

GPSGPS► RoboticsRobotics► Sound ArraysSound Arrays► High tech camerasHigh tech cameras

Managing Human BehaviorManaging Human Behavior► Wildlife viewingWildlife viewing► Recreation conflictsRecreation conflicts► Habitat fragmentationHabitat fragmentation► Habitat lossHabitat loss

Using Our Understanding of Using Our Understanding of Animal Behavior to Manage and Animal Behavior to Manage and

Recover SpeciesRecover Species

SummarySummary► Animal behavior is a key component of wildlife management Animal behavior is a key component of wildlife management

and conservation of species.and conservation of species.

► It is important to understand how species senses and It is important to understand how species senses and perceptions influence their behavioral actions.perceptions influence their behavioral actions.

► Formal hypotheses testing is an important process to Formal hypotheses testing is an important process to understanding the role of animal behavior in managing and understanding the role of animal behavior in managing and recovering species.recovering species.

► New methods and technologies are providing unprecedented New methods and technologies are providing unprecedented information about species behaviors.information about species behaviors.

► Species use of their habitats as well as foraging and mating Species use of their habitats as well as foraging and mating needs can best be understood through the study of animal needs can best be understood through the study of animal behavior.behavior.