List of abnormal behaviours in animals

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/list-of-abnormal-behaviours-in-animals

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the behavioral deviation threshold?Statistically significant variation in occurrence, frequency, or intensity from species norms
2. What is the primary drivers?Environmental stressors (especially captivity) and pathological conditions (medical/neurological)
3. What does "abnormal behavior" mean for animals?It means any action that is very rare, very intense, or different from what the animal usually does.
4. Why do animals sometimes act weird in zoos?Because they are in a different environment, missing things they need, and may feel stress or boredom.

Abnormal Behaviour: Behavior deviating significantly from the statistically normal or expected pattern for a species.
Stereotypy: A fixed, repetitive, and invariant motor behavior pattern, often a response to stress or confinement.
Ethogram: A comprehensive catalog of all behaviors exhibited by a species, used as a baseline for comparison.
Pica: The compulsive eating of non-food items, often indicative of nutritional deficiency or psychological distress.