Period of Activity in Animals.
Nature has created balance in activities of organisms such that there is expected
time to rest and a specific period of Activity. This creates opportunity for organism to;
rest, escape predators and repair worn-out tissues.
The common period of activities in animal could be active during;
1. The day i.e Diurnal
2. At night i.e Nocturnal
3. Crepuscular i.e Active primarily during twilight
(1) Diurnality
This is an animal behavior of being active during the day and sleeping at night.
Animals that exhibit this are called Diurnal. Many animal species are Diurnal
including mammals, insects, reptiles wnd birds. In some animals, external pattern of
the environment controls the activities i.e exogenous within rather than pattern
inherent in the habitat. Generally Diurnal pattern is controlled by cricadian rhythm
(endogenous). Some nocturnal/crepuscular animal has been domesticated as pet
and thus their activities has changed into Diurnal to confirm with human lifestyle e.g
pet dogs & cats from wolf family and wild cat family respectively. These animals may
exhibit their species original activities if the condition of living is reversed.
Some animals are forced to change their normal cycle in order to avoid predators e.g
beavers becoming Nocturnal creature after extensive predation by human e.g
hunter, squirrel and song birds
(2) Nocturnality
This is an animal behavior where they are active at night and rest or sleep during the
day. Nocturnal animals have highly developed sense of hearing, smell and specially
adapted eye sight which assist them to avoid predators. Many nocturnal creatures
including owls (Bocturnalis strigilormes, Bubo virginianus, Tyto Alba, Tyto
capensis(common grass owl) they have large eyes in comparison to their body size
to compensate for low light level at night
(3) Crepuscular Animals
The term crepuscular is derived from latin word crepuscule meaning Twilight which
means before sunrise and after sunset. These animals are species that are active at
dawn or dusk period. The distinction between crepuscular animal and diurnal as well
Period of Activity in Animals. 1
, as nocturnal animal is not absolute because animal in this group may also be active
on a bright moonlit night or on a dull day. An example is Squirrel.
OVERCROWDING
This is said to occur when there are too many animals inhabiting a particular place
over a period of time. This is a factor which affects the animal reproductive behavior
including failure to populate, infertility, increased number of abortions, and eating of
young ones(offspring) by the parent, reduction in parental care and so on, there is
also possibilty of increase in aggressive behavior
In summary, overcrowding has other effect.
1.It leads to fierce competition between organisms due to limited resources
2. It may lead to spread of diseases
3. Exposure to predators
4. Exposure to harsh environmental condition
5. Reduction in reproduction
In many specie, especially in small consumers such as mice, rabbit and lemmings,
overcrowding create an increasing stress that damage the thyroid gland which
manufacturer essential hormones like thyroxin when population of this animal reach
critical point, the stress becomes extreme and most of the population simply drop
dead due to endocrine or hormonal system damage.
In some species, such as snow shoes hares and lemmings (small rodent that lives
near and in tundra north of the conical forest region of North America,Europe and
Asia), population density is cyclical and it gradually expand year after year but before
the environment is badly damaged due to over feeding this storage homiostatic
process kicks in. Most of these rodents crawl into their dens and die and 6he
population problem is solved until next population imbalance sets in
One of the consequences of overcrowding is mass migration(which further expose
animal to stress or stability in the new environment and risk of predation or hunting),
Lemmings is a good example in this case. When recycling population exposure (4
years) occur and food runs out, lemmings do migrate but more commonly their
crowd induced thyroid disease sets in which kills them so suddenly that their
disappearance as given rise to stories like flown into the sea to die. The fact that
they burrow and become dead due to strange hormonal action.
Most natural population never explode in number. When such occur, it may be due to
removal of population control measure due to human interference (Anthropologenic
Period of Activity in Animals. 2
Nature has created balance in activities of organisms such that there is expected
time to rest and a specific period of Activity. This creates opportunity for organism to;
rest, escape predators and repair worn-out tissues.
The common period of activities in animal could be active during;
1. The day i.e Diurnal
2. At night i.e Nocturnal
3. Crepuscular i.e Active primarily during twilight
(1) Diurnality
This is an animal behavior of being active during the day and sleeping at night.
Animals that exhibit this are called Diurnal. Many animal species are Diurnal
including mammals, insects, reptiles wnd birds. In some animals, external pattern of
the environment controls the activities i.e exogenous within rather than pattern
inherent in the habitat. Generally Diurnal pattern is controlled by cricadian rhythm
(endogenous). Some nocturnal/crepuscular animal has been domesticated as pet
and thus their activities has changed into Diurnal to confirm with human lifestyle e.g
pet dogs & cats from wolf family and wild cat family respectively. These animals may
exhibit their species original activities if the condition of living is reversed.
Some animals are forced to change their normal cycle in order to avoid predators e.g
beavers becoming Nocturnal creature after extensive predation by human e.g
hunter, squirrel and song birds
(2) Nocturnality
This is an animal behavior where they are active at night and rest or sleep during the
day. Nocturnal animals have highly developed sense of hearing, smell and specially
adapted eye sight which assist them to avoid predators. Many nocturnal creatures
including owls (Bocturnalis strigilormes, Bubo virginianus, Tyto Alba, Tyto
capensis(common grass owl) they have large eyes in comparison to their body size
to compensate for low light level at night
(3) Crepuscular Animals
The term crepuscular is derived from latin word crepuscule meaning Twilight which
means before sunrise and after sunset. These animals are species that are active at
dawn or dusk period. The distinction between crepuscular animal and diurnal as well
Period of Activity in Animals. 1
, as nocturnal animal is not absolute because animal in this group may also be active
on a bright moonlit night or on a dull day. An example is Squirrel.
OVERCROWDING
This is said to occur when there are too many animals inhabiting a particular place
over a period of time. This is a factor which affects the animal reproductive behavior
including failure to populate, infertility, increased number of abortions, and eating of
young ones(offspring) by the parent, reduction in parental care and so on, there is
also possibilty of increase in aggressive behavior
In summary, overcrowding has other effect.
1.It leads to fierce competition between organisms due to limited resources
2. It may lead to spread of diseases
3. Exposure to predators
4. Exposure to harsh environmental condition
5. Reduction in reproduction
In many specie, especially in small consumers such as mice, rabbit and lemmings,
overcrowding create an increasing stress that damage the thyroid gland which
manufacturer essential hormones like thyroxin when population of this animal reach
critical point, the stress becomes extreme and most of the population simply drop
dead due to endocrine or hormonal system damage.
In some species, such as snow shoes hares and lemmings (small rodent that lives
near and in tundra north of the conical forest region of North America,Europe and
Asia), population density is cyclical and it gradually expand year after year but before
the environment is badly damaged due to over feeding this storage homiostatic
process kicks in. Most of these rodents crawl into their dens and die and 6he
population problem is solved until next population imbalance sets in
One of the consequences of overcrowding is mass migration(which further expose
animal to stress or stability in the new environment and risk of predation or hunting),
Lemmings is a good example in this case. When recycling population exposure (4
years) occur and food runs out, lemmings do migrate but more commonly their
crowd induced thyroid disease sets in which kills them so suddenly that their
disappearance as given rise to stories like flown into the sea to die. The fact that
they burrow and become dead due to strange hormonal action.
Most natural population never explode in number. When such occur, it may be due to
removal of population control measure due to human interference (Anthropologenic
Period of Activity in Animals. 2
