Animal Behavior and Physiology

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Questions and Answers

What characterizes pain or fear-induced aggression in animals?

It occurs when animals are protecting their territory.

It is displayed by animals with a history of aggression.

It mainly affects elder animals with low energy.

It happens in situations where animals are experiencing pain or fear. (correct)

What is a primary cause of irritable aggression in animals?

Being hungry, fatigued, or sick. (correct)

Territory disputes with other animals.

Protecting young from potential harm.

High levels of excitement from social interactions.

How does maternal aggression differ from other forms of aggression?

It involves protective behavior over one's young. (correct)

It occurs exclusively in aging animals.

It is triggered by competition for resources.

It is primarily seen in male animals during mating.

What is the purpose of predatory aggression in animals?

To obtain food through hunting behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What advantage does female infanticide provide to rodent populations?

It reduces overpopulation and optimizes litter sizes. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common behavior shown by young chickens when they are distressed?

Insistent chirping Signup and view all the answers

Which form of aggression is observed in animals living in groups to establish dominance?

Social aggression Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of care-soliciting behavior in young animals?

To request assistance from adults Signup and view all the answers

Which category of aggression is characterized by maintaining control over a specific geographical area?

Territorial aggression Signup and view all the answers

What behavior in dogs is typically inhibited during fights?

Claw retraction Signup and view all the answers

Which type of aggression occurs primarily during mating competition among male bovines?

Social aggression Signup and view all the answers

What does agonistic behavior include?

Threats, attacks, and defense mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

How does castration affect territorial aggression in animals?

It reduces territorial aggression. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the alpha animal in a group of social animals?

To establish hierarchy and dominance Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of grooming behavior in mother dogs and cats?

To clean and care for their young Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary method by which cattle graze?

They wrap grass with their tongues and cut it with their lower teeth. Signup and view all the answers

What distinctive behavior do cats exhibit regarding their elimination patterns?

They bury their feces and urine. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following behaviors is characteristic of female sexual behavior in mammals?

Experiencing a period of excitability known as estrus. Signup and view all the answers

How often do domestic dogs typically eat in comparison to other domestic animals?

Only once per day. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about care-giving behavior in mammals is correct?

Care-giving behavior is primarily associated with females. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common mistake regarding the eating habits of domestic carnivores like dogs and cats?

They often ingest large mouthfuls quickly. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates the grazing behavior of horses from that of cattle?

Horses graze but chew their food more thoroughly using both upper and lower teeth. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Ingestive Behavior

Ingestive behavior patterns depend on species anatomy, physiology, and food type
Different species use various methods to obtain food (e.g., chickens peck, ducks scoop)
Grazing in cattle and sheep involves wrapping grass with tongue, then using lower teeth to cut it
Cows, sheep, and goats spend much time grazing
Horses graze and bite food with both upper and lower teeth for thorough chewing
Domestic carnivores (dogs and cats) typically eat less frequently and in larger mouthfuls than other animals

Eliminative Behavior

Eliminative behavior is linked to ancestral species' ecology (e.g., lairs)
Dogs and cats show patterns related to eliminating waste
Cats bury faeces and urine
Dogs tend to deposit waste in specific scent-marking spots

Sexual Behavior

Each species has specific sexual behaviors, and differences exist between sexes
Male behaviors include courtship, erection, intromission, ejaculation, and dismounting
Female behaviors include a period of excitability (estrus), mounting reception, and orgasm-like reactions after copulation
Mating between different species is often difficult

Care-giving Behavior

Care-giving is crucial for animal survival, especially in mammals
Maternal care is the most common form, largely confined to females in domestic animals
Mammals, like rabbits, allow offspring to suckle, while others (dogs, cats) provide prolonged care (nursing, grooming, nest building) for their offspring, around the clock

Care-soliciting Behavior

Young animals often rely on care-soliciting behaviors to signal the need for help
Behaviors include vocalizations (chirping, bawling, bleating, whining)
Loudness of calls are clues to the level of distress

Agonistic Behavior (Aggression)

Aggression is a physical action or threat causing pain or reducing another animal's freedom
Agonistic behavior: Includes threats, attack, defense, and escape behaviours
Social aggression: establishing dominance hierarchies in groups (e.g., Peck order)
Territorial aggression: defending a territory
Pain/fear induced aggression: due to pain or fear
Irritable aggression: due to hunger, fatigue, or illness
Maternal aggression: protecting offspring
Sexual aggression: part of mating behaviour in some species
Predatory aggression: actively hunting and killing prey
Infanticide: killing of young ones

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Description

This quiz explores various aspects of animal behavior, including ingestive, eliminative, and sexual behaviors across different species. Participants will learn how anatomy and ecology influence these behaviors in domestic and wild animals. Test your knowledge on how animals interact with their environment and each other.