animal-behavior

Personal Perspective: Non-human animals display many unexpected cognitive abilities and forms of intelligence. The story of Mac is an intriguing example.

Female rats prefer gentler tickling, a finding that could reshape animal happiness research.

Do parrots actually use names the way humans do? A new study analyzing hundreds of captive parrots reveals surprisingly complex social communication. Like many animals, parrots produce calls that can sound as though they are communicating with one another, perhaps even addressing a particular bird. But whether they use names in anything like the human [...]

Encountering unfamiliar animals can be intimidating, as their reactions are unpredictable. Respecting their perspective and avoiding sudden or forceful actions is safest. The 10 Proper Ways of Handling Animals The following tips are good for domestic pets and certain wildlife species, depending on the situation. Approaching a tiger or a bear is not a good… The post 10 Proper Ways of Handling Anim…

There is experimental data that helps to explain why dogs often turn around in circles before laying down and it's all about comfort.

Cats who mysteriously stop eating may not be full, but simply bored, a new study...

Despite the popularity of therapy dogs working to support human well-being, little research has examined the impact of these sessions on dog well-being. Do dogs enjoy this work?

Macaques have learned to eat soil to avert gut irritation caused by salty and sugary snacks, researchers believe Troops of monkeys living on the Rock of Gibraltar have learned to eat soil in what scientists believe is an effort to settle their stomachs after all the junk food they receive – and sometimes steal – from crowds of tourists. Researchers spotted the intentional mud eating, known as geo…

New research has revealed dairy calves which are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play.

Conventional diagnostic approaches to canine attachment and separation-related behaviors rely primarily on behavioral outcomes observed during induced separation from the caregiver. While widely adopted, separation-based assessments may conflate superficially similar behaviors that arise from fundamentally different caregiver–dog relational structures (e.g., secure regulation vs. avoidant disenga…

A horse’s whinny is a distinctive and instantly recognizable sound, which the animals use to communicate with each other and express emotions. But this unique vocalization has long puzzled scientists, since it includes both high- and low-pitched components. Now, researchers say they may have solved this equine mystery. A horse makes the low-pitched part of its whinny by vibrating its vocal cords—…

How horses whinny has long been a mystery. The sound is quite distinct from any other in the animal kingdom. And now scientists think they’ve discovered why: horses whinny by producing sounds at two frequencies at the same time—much like singing and whistling simultaneously. The findings, which were published on Monday in Current Biology, suggest horses produce sounds at two frequencies in two di…

Imagination—the ability to conjure up ideas, images or scenarios that don’t exist in the here and now—has long been considered a uniquely human trait. But new research suggests we may not be the only species with rich mental lives capable of going beyond the present moment. At least one bonobo—a late, captive animal named Kanzi—appears to have been able to identify pretend objects, according to a…

A bonobo demonstrated the ability to track imaginary objects in controlled tests, challenging the belief that imagination is uniquely human and hinting at deep evolutionary roots. In a set of carefully designed experiments modeled on children’s tea parties, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that an ape could engage in pretend play. The results mark [...]

THE horse stands quietly as the experimenter approaches, a cotton pad stapled inside a lycra muzzle fitted over her nostrils. She’s breathing normally through the fabric, but something is different this time. When the experimenter extends a hand during the grooming test, the mare keeps her distance, touching the human significantly less than she did yesterday. Later, when an umbrella suddenly sna…

In preparation for winter, the common shrew (Sorex araneus) shrinks its brain by 30 percent...

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how scientists are beginning to study animals’ emotions and personalities — from joy to individual temperament.

Scientists have long focused on quantifying fear and other negative emotions in animals. Now they’re trying to measure positive feelings — and it’s a challenge.

Veronika the cow uses a brush as a tool to scratch herself, revealing rare problem-solving skills and expanding what we know of tool use in animals.

A rare group of dogs learned new toy labels by listening in on their owners’ talk.