Animal Behavior Presentation Project Ideas

Animals make interesting presentation project subjects because their senses are much keener than those of a human. And, most of their behaviors are often predicated by natural instinct. For individuals who don't have a domestic pet to use as a test subject, insect behavior can often be fascinating to study. From food preferences to mating rituals, animal behavior is something that humans will be studying for years to come.

  1. Smell

    • Nothing is more classic than a project that tests an animal's sense of smell. The traditional method, which usually involves placing an animal like a mouse or hamster in a maze with food at one end, can also be morphed into a project that tests the animal's memory by eventually removing the food. More unlikely test subjects, like worms or insects, may exhibit different types of behavior when presented with the scents of different categories of foods, like sugar or sour pickles.

    Sight

    • Some animals have a basic instinct that causes them to become aggressive when confronted with another animal of the same species. In order to determine if that behavior is caused strictly by the sight of another animal,or is based on a number of factors including smell and audio cues, record how the animal acts when presented with a mirror image of themselves. According to Cool-Science-Projects.com, you can also record response based on how close or far away the mirror is positioned from the animal.

    Environmental Changes

    • Some animals are naturally nocturnal, and more active in the dark. Others become lethargic when the temperature drops below a certain mark. Observing how light and dark and temperature fluctuations affect the behaviors of various animals can provide some answers to what goes on when humans are asleep. For example, Crystal-Clear-Science-Fair-Projects.com recommends studying how temperature affects ants or if worms can sense light.