Kelly - Scavenger hunt post #4

1.       In this facility the U.S Department of Agriculture and EPCOT's Land Pavilion research ways to grow plants and fish. The fish provide a natural fertilizer for the plants and the plants keep the water clean for the fish. This is an example of mutualism­; a symbiotic relationship between two different species where both benefit. Here the fish and the plant benefit, but are not dependent on one another.

The next photos are from the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Disney’s Animal Kingdom

2.       This meerkat is showing altruistic behavior; when one animal shows a behavior that is beneficial to others, but it can put them at risk. Meerkats live in colonies of 3 to 30. They take turns standing guard looking for predators. If one is seen they make a barking noise to alert the others. They put themselves at risk because they are more visible to the predators. It may also be reciprocal altruism, where the individual makes a sacrifice for others and expects the same in return, because the meerkats take turns standing guard.

        The next two sets of pictures show territorial behavior. Animals defend areas against other animals of the same species where they have a nest, where they mate or have food for themselves and their offspring.

3. The fish in the first picture was in a cove-like area where young fish were (smaller dark ones not the larger yellow ones). Next, another fish tries to swim into the area. The third photo shows the intruder being chased away.

These three photos show territorial behavior of gorillas. The first is of a gorilla that came into an area and started to eat some bamboo. The gorilla in the second photo was sitting about 50 ft away but got up as soon as he saw the other one sit down and start to eat. The last photo shows the gorilla leaving the area when the other one approached.

4. Giraffes have physical and behavioral adaptations that help them survive. Their long neck allows them to eat leaves high on trees that other herbivores can’t reach. This reduces competition for food. Having long necks also allows them to see predators. Their prehensile (adapted to grasp objects) tongue lets them strip the leaves off of branches. Behavioral adaptations include staying in groups and near other herbivores which makes looking for predators easier.

5.       A population is a group of animals of the same species, living in the same habitat. These two animals are part of the population of okapi along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Their nearest relative is the giraffe; they classified in the family giraffidae. One theory is that giraffe’s developed longer necks because of competition for food in the grasslands of the Savannah. The okapi live in the rainforest in the Congo Basin and didn’t face that competition so there was no need to develop a longer neck. Both the giraffe and okapi have prehensile tongues. What looks like horns on both animals’ heads are actually skin covered bone.