Those of us who work studying animals in the wild, especially in the field of ethology or the study of behavior, spend many hours observing them. Not long ago an acquaintance told me: “And if so many hours are spent in the same research area, why do they only analyze the monkeys and not all the animals that are there?” Of course, this person does not know that to understand a species like howler monkeys ( Alouatta palliata ), it is necessary to contemplate its members at different times of the day, in different seasons, climatic conditions and social contexts, to detect what they are the factors that lead them to behave in a certain way; It is not just about taking a snapshot.
For conservation
Now, another question I often hear is: And what is ethology for? Most people agree with the dedication of efforts to conservation, understanding that maintaining natural populations is very important, both for the ecosystem and for the society of that region. But what is not talked about much is the study of behavior not only as a contribution to science and the understanding of living beings, but also for conservation.
A change in behavior can be an indicator of alterations in the habitat that affect the survival of the group. Female joyuyo duck ( Aix sponsa ) often practice the so-called “brood parasitism”, which consists of one female incubating the eggs of another. This is a normal and adaptive procedure, since it is practiced by young females who could not otherwise breed. But under deforestation conditions (these birds nest in tree cavities), the density increases and parasitism becomes too intense, resulting in a massive loss of eggs.
Sometimes the modification of the habitat is inevitable, but it is necessary to try to damage the species that live there as little as possible. Scrutinizing the actions of groups of the same species that live in environments with different degrees of transformation, allows us to know to what extent it is possible to change the environment without causing too severe damage that would lead to the decline of its members.
To mitigate threats
It is not only the loss of habitat that causes changes in behavior. Human activities ditto. A very striking case is that of elephants ( Loxodonta africana ). Males go through a period called musth , in which they have high levels of testosterone, causing them to become very aggressive. This happens especially in the young, but if there are older and dominant males, this situation is mitigated, since they act as a brake. Poachers usually attack mainly adult males, which means eliminating the “mediators”, thus causing a disturbance in the social organization of the group that puts it in danger.
In turn, light pollution and noise impair communication between animals. In birds such as the great tit ( Parus major ), the noise causes the frequency of their songs to increase. Orcas ( Orcinus orca ) increase the duration of their calls in the presence of ships with sonar. Chemical contamination can produce hormonal disorders, as well as changes in the sexual signals of birds and fish that use song or color to attract the opposite sex.
These communication problems considerably alter the social system, as well as reproduction, since they disrupt procedures that are a means of attracting a partner. Detecting such changes in the normal patterns of socialization and reproduction helps to take steps to mitigate the threats that animals face.
Design reserves, wildlife crossings, reintroduction projects
It is very important to take into account the behavior of the animals when designing reserves, wildlife crossings, or reintroduction projects. A species whose vital range is wide will not live adequately in a very small reserve, it will tend to move outside its limits, with the dangers that this entails.
The wildlife crossings should not be designed in any way, the preferences of the species must be considered. A grizzly bear ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) would opt for open paths that pass over a road, while the black bear ( Ursus americanus ) may not use them, because it likes closed underground passages.
The study of behavior is essential to determine the success of a reintroduction, either of specimens that have been in captivity, or in the case of a translocation. Captive-bred animals can develop human attachment and abnormal behaviors. Breeding or rehabilitation efforts in captivity for their subsequent release are useless if the animal is not capable of displaying the entire repertoire of natural behaviors that help it survive in that environment.
The case of non-human primates
There are many more examples, but I think that with what is mentioned here it is possible to glimpse some of the practical applications that ethology has. It should be noted, in particular, its importance with regard to non-human primates, since they also present complex behaviors like us, of communication, cooperation, war, infanticide, use of tools and even a defined culture that varies between populations.
They also present a behavioral flexibility that enables them to adapt to different eventualities in the environment, counting on a great variety of feeding, reproductive and social strategies. The analysis of different species of primates allows us to know both the origin and the meaning of these behaviors; therefore, better understand the biological and evolutionary bases that explain human behavior.
To carry out these investigations, it is necessary to compare several related species; Consequently, it is essential to conserve as many of them as possible, since many are in danger due in large part to the loss of their habitat, a situation that must be remedied before it is too late.
