ETHOGRAM ACTIVITY

INTRODUCTION: Ethology is the study of animal behavior. Animal behavior is anything

an animal does in response to its environment. Quietly watching an animal in its habitat, or home,
helps us to better understand animal behavior. When scientists watch animals, they rely on
specific procedures in order to collect data that is as accurate as possible. Researchers use charts
called ethograms as part of these procedures. An ethogram is a list of all the possible behaviors
that you may see from an animal. Ethograms can be a tool, or way to collect data, that humans
can use to gather and record information about animals and their behaviors. You can make your
own observations and fill out your own ethogram to learn more about the animals we care for at
the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park by using the live webcams that are set up in the habitats of our
animals. Follow the instructions below to get started!

INSTRUCTIONS
CHOOSE YOUR ANIMAL! You will first select an animal you would like to observe by clicking
1 the link below. Make sure to pick ONE individual of the animals that you can see, as the focus of your
observations. zoo.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams

The animal I am observing today is: _________________________________________________________

2 DRAW/EXPLAIN YOUR ANIMAL! Draw the animal in its habitat, below.

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ETHOGRAM ACTIVITY

MAKE YOUR OBSERVATIONS, AND FILL OUT THE ETHOGRAM! Choose an amount
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of time that you will be observing your animal (for example, 5 minutes). Make sure to note the time
you start and stop! While observing your animal, make a check mark in the box next to the animal
behavior you are observing. If you notice the behavior happening more than once during your time
observing the animal, add additional check marks in the boxes to the right.

You can use the example below to help you!

1 p.m.
Start time: ______________________________ 1:05 p.m.
End time: ______________________________

FIRST TIME SECOND TIME THIRD TIME FOURTH TIME FIFTH TIME
BEHAVIOR
SEEING BEHAVIOR SEEING BEHAVIOR SEEING BEHAVIOR SEEING BEHAVIOR SEEING BEHAVIOR

RESTING/SLEEPING

ETHOGRAM AND OBSERVATION DATA SHEET

• Eating/Looking for Food: The animal is eating food or drinking water.

This includes looking for food.
• Walking/Moving: This is a behavior that the animal does on its own, such as
running, playing, flying, walking, or climbing.
• Resting/Sleeping: This is when the animal is sleeping or relaxing.
• Grooming: The animal is grooming or cleaning itself.
• Playing/Socializing: The animal is playing in its habitat or with another animal.
• Out of View: The animal is off screen, not visible, or you cannot see the
animal you were observing.
• Other: You see a behavior other than the ones described above.

Start time: ______________________________ End time: ______________________________

CHECK THE BOX EACH TIME

BEHAVIOR TOTAL
YOU NOTICE THE BEHAVIOR

EATING/LOOKING FOR FOOD

WALKING/MOVING

RESTING/SLEEPING

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ETHOGRAM ACTIVITY

CHECK THE BOX EACH TIME

BEHAVIOR TOTAL
YOU NOTICE THE BEHAVIOR

GROOMING

PLAYING/SOCIALIZING

OUT OF VIEW

OTHER BEHAVIORS YOU NOTICED:

__________________________________________

NOW YOU ARE A SCIENTIST! WHAT DOES YOUR DATA TELL YOU?
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WHAT PREDICTIONS CAN YOU MAKE FROM YOUR OBSERVATIONS?

1. What was the most common behavior you saw while watching the animal?

2. Do you think you would see different behaviors if you watched at a different time of day?

3. Do you think you would see different behaviors if you watched a different
individual/animal of the same species?

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ETHOGRAM ACTIVITY

4. What do you think the animal might do next?

5. What do you think would be the most common behavior for this animal,
if you were to watch them all day?

6. What do you think would be the least common behavior for this animal,
if you were to watch them all day?

7. Did watching this animal remind you of another animal you’ve seen?

8. What does this make you wonder about this animal?