The Animal Behaviour Aberdeen Challenge

The Animal Behaviour Aberdeen Challenge:

The Animal Behaviour Aberdeen Challenge Mark Hamilton

Rabbits in Aberdeen city centre…:

Rabbits in Aberdeen city centre… Living next to a busy road (A96) Small population: 3 rabbits observed on each of 2 visits (5-6pm) Grass banking – West North Street, Aberdeen

Urban life…:

Urban life… View from a burrow – a young rabbit’s first sight of the world! Traffic & pedestrians are an everyday occurrence.

Feeding…:

Feeding… The rabbits feed on grass, without being disturbed by traffic or passers by. They have HABITUATED. Audio or visual effects of traffic do not affect the rabbits’ feeding habits. Rabbit feeding

Habituation: a decrease in an animal’s response to a stimulus after repeated exposure to that stimulus over a duration of time.:

Habituation: a decrease in an animal’s response to a stimulus after repeated exposure to that stimulus over a duration of time. The rabbits do not respond to vehicles or people on the pavement… …unless they stop to take photos! The rabbit began scanning its environment. 2 rabbits feeding

Tinbergen’s questions…:

Tinbergen’s questions… Nikolaas Tinbergen believed these 4 questions should be asked about any animal behaviour: Causation Development Evolution Function

Exposure to traffic every day…:

Exposure to traffic every day… The rabbits can learn that the stimuli are constantly present and do not pose any threat ( Causation ). For habituation to occur, the rabbits must react to a stimulus and then realise that their response was not rewarding (or the stimulus was not harmful). ( Development ) e.g. a rabbit crouching down when the observer is present at first, and then continuing to forage.

Advantages of habituation…:

Advantages of habituation… Many animals habituate to stimuli in their surroundings. They can learn to habituate to some stimuli while still being very wary of others ( Evolution )… …for example, the rabbit here continued foraging when a person walked past, however not when they stop and lean on the wall.

Advantages of habituation…:

Advantages of habituation… The rabbits in this case are able to improve their chances of survival through habituation. By feeding in the presence of visual/audio stimuli, they can survive, grow and reproduce effectively. However, they can still respond to potential threats they have not habituated to.

Thanks for watching!:

Thanks for watching!