Author: The Ethogram

The official blog of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group.

Sunday Sketch: Japanese macaques

The Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) are often referred to as “snow monkeys” due to their habitation in snowy regions of Japan. They reside in matrilineal groups, meaning that the females stay in the groups throughout life, and the males move out. Moms have varying maternal “styles” in the way that they parent, with some being…

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What Reality TV Gets Right (and Wrong!) About Animal Pair Bonds

Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means science media is going to once again be filled with awww-inducing images of penguins standing shoulder-to-shoulder and seahorses delicately entwining their tails, usually accompanied by claims about “mating for life.” These stories are comforting, romantic, and… deeply misleading. The reality of animal “love” is far more nuanced. Animal attachment…

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Sunday Sketch: Tree swallows

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are migratory birds found in North America who feast mostly upon insects like flies. A three year study found that these birds defend their babies in the nest, with males performing more aggression than females, and they defended more strongly against ferrets compared to snakes. Art by @noraprindle.art Edited by Isabelle…

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Field Frame Friday: Brazilian Nelore cattle

Nelore cattle (Bos indicus) originate from Ongole cattle and are an indigenous breed from India. They were brought to Brazil in 1868, and are known for their distinctive hump on their back and high heat tolerance. As an animal used for beef, the female cattle are bred to produce calves. An experiment found that when…

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Field Frame Friday: Otters’ spatial task

The asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is the smallest otter species in the world and lives throughout southeast Asia. Cognitive research performed at the Atlanta Zoo found that the animals were able to learn a spatial task and have good working and reference memory. Working memory is temporary information stored over a short period of…

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Creature Feature: Sea Turtles

Growing up in New York State, I knew turtles as slow creatures, bell-shaped and rugged, with the wrinkled face and lumbering demeanor of a wise old man. One or two might inhabit your backyard, or be found swimming in a nearby pond. In comparison to these terrestrial and freshwater specimens, sea turtles were a distant…

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Sunday Sketch: Capybara social behavior

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is native to South America and is the largest living rodent species. They’re known for being very gregarious, often photographed nearby other animal species, and they reside in semi-aquatic habitats. Their social groups have been noted to range from 6-16 adult members, and they have what’s called a “strictly linear” social…

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