animal behavior news stories on Newser

Political Parties Act Like Schools of Fish

Matt Cantor — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:23:05 CST

Wondering about the future of the Tea Party, or what affect the Occupy Movement might have on Democrats? Try asking a bunch of fish. Scientists have found that in a school of fish, a "vocal minority"—that is, a group determined to swim in a certain direction—can entice a...

DC Zoo Animals Sensed Quake

Rob Quinn — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 03:43:13 CDT

In a mysterious phenomenon that has been observed since ancient times, animals at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, appear to have sensed Tuesday's earthquake before humans did. Seconds before the ground began to shake, gorillas and orangutans dropped their food, grabbed their young, and climbed as high as they...

How Dolphins Can Help Us Meet Aliens

Matt Cantor — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:15:05 CST

Scientists have been discovering plenty of new planets, and eventually, perhaps one will contain life—but we’d have no way to talk to the aliens. Until then, we can practice on creatures here on Earth: dolphins, who are capable of some surprisingly sophisticated thinking. We’ve tried to chat with them...

Pigeons Love to Gamble: Study

Rob Quinn — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:22:30 CDT

Gambling may be a fundamental part of human—and avian—nature, according to researchers who were surprised to learn that pigeons like gambling as much as people do. In the "pigeon casino" the researchers set up, trained birds given a choice of pecking a button that delivered three pellets every...

What Your Dog's Thinking

Kevin Spak — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:22:11 CDT

When your dog licks your face, he's not trying to “kiss” you or demonstrate his affection; he's hoping to lap up any regurgitated food you might have to offer him. That's just one of the many unsettling revelations doled out by Alexandra Horowitz in an interview with ABC News promoting...

Dogs, Whales Display Special Connection

Kevin Spak — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:55:00 CDT

Do dogs and whales share a mysterious special bond? Yes, according to Discovery News writer Jennifer Viegas. For proof, she offers the YouTube clip above and some anecdotal evidence from Carrie Newell, who runs Whale Research EcoExcursions. Newell often brings her dog on her whale watching expeditions, and she reports...

Temple Grandin a 'Captivating' Look at Autism

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:13:04 CST

Temple Grandin, the renowned animal behaviorist who credits her achievements to her autism, values "tangible results" over emotion—and so does her HBO biopic. The eponymous film, debuting tomorrow, "avoids the mawkish clichés" so typical of made-for-TV movies, instead delivering "a movie that is funny, instructive, and also intangibly charming,...

Crocs Know Their Names, Open Up on Call

Harry Kimball — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:46:39 CST

Two crocodiles at a British aquarium have been taught to recognize their own names, a feat that works with mammals in captivity but rarely with reptiles. “They are very intelligent and started responding to their names in just a few days,” the zoo’s manager tells the Telegraph . The crocs’ keepers...

Pair of British Swans Gets Rare 'Divorce'

Harry Kimball — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:27:46 CST

A pair of British swans has done the unthinkable for the loyal species, which usually mate for life: It split up. Sarindi and Saruni had been together for two years, but both returned to an English bird sanctuary from their annual Arctic migration with brand new partners. It's only the...