Most of the major categories of adaptive behavior can be seen in all animals. This course begins with the evolution of behavior, the driver of nervous system evolution, reviewed using concepts developed in ethology, sociobiology, other comparative studies, and in studies of brain evolution. The roles of various types of plasticity are considered, as well as foraging and feeding, defensive and aggressive behavior, courtship and reproduction, migration and navigation, social activities and communication, with contributions of inherited patterns and cognitive abilities. Both field and laboratory based studies are reviewed; and finally, human behavior is considered within the context of primate studies.

Learn about classes of animals and test your ability to identify animals as mammals, birds, reptiles and more in this interactive activity adapted from Sheppard Software.

This site is a searchable encyclopedia of thousands of photos, descriptions, sound recordings, and other information about individual animal species. Find out about amphibians, arthropods, birds, fishes, insects, mammals, mollusks, reptiles, and sharks. Explore special features on mammals, skulls, and frog calls. Students are invited to contribute.

Learn how a cow eats and digests food in this video segment from Nature.

This video from Nature offers a description of desirable traits in beef and dairy cattle.

In this video segment from Nature, learn about six different breeds of cattle.

'The Dogs' is set on a bright, summer day at a seemingly benign seashore inhabited by a nervous, beer-drinking protagonist and a dark, panting dog. This is a narrative that has no dialogue but is structured in movement of the man, of the dog (who is both harmless and menacing by turns), as well as all the camera work moving to the right in a clockwise direction that captures images in vivid color, creating an unsettling spin. A psychological study of shifts in memory and the perception of reality, 'The Dogs' is both humorous and haunting; a portrait of a man moving through a mythical landscape of fear, longing, and Ballantine ale cans. The work alternately shows the man seated in a living room interior, drinking glasses of beer and swallowing pills, and walking down an overrun path to the ocean. Along the way, he is startled or distracted by the sound of a barking dog. Eventually, he reaches the ocean. During the piece, 'The Star Spangled Banner' is performed by Kate Smith.

The dolphin is built to be sleek. Its body is made of almost entirely backbone (a gliding joint) which makes it very flexible under water. The ribs protect the inner organs of the dolphin and the tail beats from side to side, thrusting the animal forward.

The dolphin is built to be sleek. Its body is made of almost entirely backbone (a gliding joint) which makes it very flexible under water. The ribs protect the inner organs of the dolphin and the tail beats from side to side, thrusting the animal forward.

The flippers of the dolphin help it swim through water. The ball and socket joint at the shoulder help the dolphin steer and roll while in the water, allowing it to actively swim and catch food while avoiding its predators.

The flippers of the dolphin help it swim through water. The ball and socket joint at the shoulder help the dolphin steer and roll while in the water, allowing it to actively swim and catch food while avoiding predators.

The dolphin is built to be sleek. Its body is made of almost entirely backbone (a gliding joint) which makes it very flexible under water. The ribs protect the inner organs of the dolphin and the tail beats from side to side, thrusting the animal forward.

The carnivorous dolphin uses its sharp teeth to grab and hold onto slippery prey. The skull, which protects the brain, is built to be sleek and allows the dolphin to move fast through water.

The dolphin is built to be sleek. Its body is made of almost entirely backbone (a gliding joint) which makes it very flexible under water. The ribs protect the inner organs of the dolphin and the tail beats from side to side, thrusting the animal forward.

The dolphin has a large mouth to consume large prey. This animal has a flexible skeleton and flippers/long fingers to move quickly and gracefully through the ocean. The ribs of the dolphin protect the animal's internal organs, but are loosely attached to the spine so they can collapse during dives to the deep ocean.

In this activity exploring difference among vertebrates, the learner will know and be able to interpret and apply scientific, technological and environmental knowledge.

The American Museum of Natural History is home to the world's largest collection of vertebrate fossils, totaling nearly one million specimens. This Web site offers visitors a virtual visit to the Museum's famed Fossil Halls. It features seven sections along with a brief introduction, a Teacher's Guide, and information about the Museum's Division of Paleontology.

'Ganapati' examines the issues of cruelty to animals, focusing on the treatment of elephants. Sections were filmed on location in Kenya, India, and Thailand. Much reference is made to the respect paid to elephants by some spiritual practices, where they are considered to be deities. Older moving image footage is incorporated, which shows a circus elephant being killed, and performing elephants in film, television advertisements, and nature shows. A variety of text sources are quoted in the form of voiceovers, including works by Rudyard Kipling, Rainer Maria Rilke, Chief Seattle, Federico Garcia Lorca, and original writings by Daniel Reeves. Music includes Sufi improvisations by Nezih Uzel and Kudsi Ergunner, works by the Burundi artists, and a xylophone solo by Htaw Pine. Daniel Reeves provides additional synthesizer music.

'I Do Not Know What It Is that I Am Like' juxtaposes images of animals, both wild and domestic, and natural environments with human activity as it takes place in an apartment, and during a fire walking ceremony in Fiji. Documentary-style footage is combined with staged events. Despite the piece's lack of a traditional narrative, it bears some relationship to nature works. The segment features material from 'Il Corpo Scuro (The dark body)' animals and natural environments are seen up close and at a distance.