Animal
By C.A. Ritz
BEHAVIORS
SURVIVING SUMMER Spring brought budding plant life and many newborn animals. Past spring, those newborns are growing. With the return of summer, baby animals will survive partly by instinct and partly through behaviors taught by parents or other creatures. Wild and domestic animals demonstrate both instinct and learned behaviors. Thinking about this, I remembered four foster kittens. They treated our male dog, Tiger, as their mom. They would follow him around, climb all over him, and gently chew and clean his fur as they purred themselves to sleep. Tiger was not strong on discipline so those four siblings hung around him like a fuzzy necklace. Another of our cats, Sammy Grey, learned to open doors. Those same foster kittens tried to follow his example but weren’t tall enough to reach. The female kitten watched our oldest cat, Princess Topaz, drink by scooping water with her paw like a spoon. After the princess was gone, the little one continued this behavior. Think about it. Which of these skills were instinct and which were learned behaviors?
BEHAVIORAL CATEGORIES Scientists say inborn behaviors are those present from birth which reoccur as new babies are born and aid survival of a species. Inborn actions include both instinct and reflexes, but differ from activities that are learned from experiences. Learned behaviors can be changed or unlearned. Here are some examples:
INBORN BEHAVIORS INSTINCT: There from birth u u u u u u u u u
Caterpillars form cocoons Spiders spin webs Insects swarm Squirrels gather nuts Birds migrate Animals build homes; nests, burrows, dens, houses Cats stalk rodents Dogs dig in dirt Human babies grasp or cry
REFLEXES: Responses when exposed to stimuli u u u u
Blinking Jumping when startled Gasping for Breath Leg Movements when a doctor taps under knees
LEARNED BEHAVIORS u u u u u u
Cats using the litter box Dogs’ tricks for treats (great name for a fundraiser, right?) Seagulls entering buildings and stealing food Humans walking and talking Learning how to use a tool or instrument Art and science skills
What other behaviors can you add to these lists?
SUMMER SCIENCE FUN:
Here’s a challenge! 1. OBSERVE This summer, watch your favorite animal; a pet or creature you see outside or online. Are the creature’s actions instinct or learned behaviors? Record your observations! 2. RESEARCH Choose another animal you don’t know much about and find information at a library, book store, or online. Non-fiction books, magazines and sites like National Geographic, or veterinarian websites, can be helpful. What inborn instincts can you identify? What learned behaviors can you find? How are they similar to or different from the first animal(s) you observed? 3. RECORD Keep a list or chart of your findings! Your results may serve as a new hobby, topic of conversation when Aunt Vanessa asks what you’ve been doing, or the basis of a science project. Who knows? You may decide to become a veterinarian, biologist, author, or animal activist. For now, enjoy the process, have fun, and dream big!
C.A. Ritz ~ Author & Illustrator cynthialeopoldritsko.com Las Vegas Pet Scene Magazine • May/June 2021
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