Transcript Breeding and Non-breeding Survival of Lesser Prairie

Animal Behavior
Jessica Young
Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences
Western State College of Colorado
Gunnison, Colorado 81231
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.
Learned Versus Innate Behaviors
► Learned
behaviors are
those that are modified by
experience
► Innate
behaviors are those
that occur despite
experience or
environment.
Ibex Reintroductions
► Innate
behaviors may
influence the success
of population
translocations and
reintroductions
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.
Sensory Perception
► Hearing
► Vision
► Olfaction
► Taste
► Tactile
► Barometric
Pressure
► Magnetic Fields
Hearing
► Hearing
 Receptors
 Communication
 Effects of
anthropomorphic
noise
Vision
► Vision
 Receptors
 Communication
 Phototaxis
 Photo-pollution
Olfaction and Taste
Olfaction
 Receptors
 Allomones
 Pheremones
Taste
 Receptors
 Conditioned taste
aversion
 Communication
 Vomeronasal organ
Vomeronasal organ in elk
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
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
Methods for Testing Hypotheses
►Observations
►Field
Journals
►Behavioral
sampling
►Measuring
behaviors
Direct Versus Indirect
Observations
► Direct
(observing and recording the actual
behaviors)
► Indirect
(tracks, markings, feces, hair, etc.)
Types of Direct Sampling
►Ad
Libitum
►Focal-Animal
►Scan
Types of Measurements
► Time
budgets
► Frequencies
► Duration
► Latency
► Intensity
► Bouts
New Tools and Concepts
► Software
► Activity
Sensors and
GPS
► Robotics
► Sound Arrays
► High tech cameras
Managing Human Behavior
►
►
►
►
Wildlife viewing
Recreation conflicts
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat loss
Using Our Understanding of
Animal Behavior to Manage and
Recover Species
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.