What is the instinct of animals and examples

Animal instinct is a set of acts to meet a specific objective through certain behaviors. This instinct does not come from a long learning process with test and error, but is the fulfillment of something innate or inherited. Since animals lack a reasoning like that of humans, it was determined that there should be something that leads them to act as they do, and that was how the concept of animal instinct was created.

The atmosphere plays an important role for the activation of instinct, from which The individual responds to the stimuli They are presented. This set of acts is Codified at the genetic levelso that all generations of the same species will have equal behaviors.

The punctual function of animal instinct is to have a already determined adaptive responsewithout the need for the animal to have to face several years of learning to be able to maintain their basic needs satisfied. In other words, it is directed towards Evolutionary success.

It is important not to confuse instinct with automatism. This occurs when a person already acquired an aptitude and managed to dominate her to be able to execute her without having to think about her. An example of this is the ability to drive, in which the driver does not need to think about each movement.

We advise you to read this other article about biological adaptation: what is, types and examples.

Next, we present the main types of animal instinct:

Defense instinct

This instinct has the function of alert to who threatens itnot properly to attack him. With his actions he implies the danger to the one who is approaching. This defense can be directed towards the territory, food, offspring.

Attack or aggression instinct

When animals feel imminent, they will no longer take a defense posture, but will attack directly. The objective to meet will be hurt or kill the opponent so that a threat no longer represents.

Escape instinct

Related to defense instinct we have escape. When an animal checks that You can’t win in a possible fightyour reaction will be escaping. In this way, avoid any danger and confrontation that may affect it.

Food instinct

All living beings require feed to surviveand the Obtaining food It is one of the basic instincts of survival. It is surprising to see how certain animals barely out of the egg have the ability to obtain their own food.

In this link you can better know the nutrition function: what is and processes.

Reproductive instinct

When animals become sexually mature and adults, their need is directed by hormones to reproduce. This has a clear evolutionary purpose: to continue with the perpetuation of a species.

Here you can read more about the reproduction function: what it consists of and why it is important.

Maternal instinct

Maternal instinct is directed from a mother to her young, especially in those species that have parental care. This instinct includes food search, shelter search and breeding care.

We also advise you to read this other post about the vital functions of living beings.

Finally, here we indicate some examples of instincts in animals:

Attack instinct in wolves

The wolves are extremely strong and expert huntersbut they share resources with other canids such as, with coyotes or even feral dogs. Although the wolves are much stronger and more dominant, they will see these as threats that can move them or take their resources, to which they respond with a direct attack. This is intended to protect your space, food and even your potential partners.

In this other post you can learn more about predators: what are, types and examples.

Reproductive instinct in sea turtles

Every year, female sea turtles leave water to return to the coasts where they were born with the purpose of starting the cycle again. These massive arrivals are called arrivals, and about 1 million turtles can reach. In these beaches They will make their nests and leave their eggswhich will be incubated by the heat of the earth until the young.

We recommend you read this other article about how sea turtles are reproduced.

Food instinct in cats

You surely know that cats have an surprising affinity for toy mice, or even any rope that reminds of their tail. This is an expression of your Survival instinct that activates its hunting condition towards the small rodents that are part of their diet. It has even been observed that newborn domestic cats who have never been in contact with a mouse or learn to capture them, respond with Hunter instinct Faced with such stimuli.

Maternal instinct in apes

It is curious to observe the behavior in apes and see our behaviors reflected in them. Much of what we do responds to a survival instinct, which we can understand perfectly when we study the apes, so much that they serve as a model to help better understand humanity, which is linked to these. Example of this is the maternal instinct that females have towards their young. We can see the dedication they have to take them away from risks, to feed them and give them a safe space. Even during breastfeeding, a narrow bond is created between breeding and the mother, because the female releases oxytocin, welfare hormone, which gives her motivation to fulfill her instinct to get her breeding forward.

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