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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:

Group 1:_____________

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Group 2:_____________

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