The Study of Animal Behaviour in India: Origin and Current Status
Abstract
Recorded observations on animal behaviour in India date back to ancient times. Behaviour of various animals was observed and described in ancient Indian classics. Many species of animals have been described as 'Vahanas,' that is, animals ridden by various Hindu deities. The sculptures and drawings of a number of deities also include these mounts with their characteristic behavioural patterns. However, scientific investigations on animal behaviour is a recently developed branch of biological science in India, initiated in the late 1950's. Systematic ethological research on various species of Indian animals was begun only in early 1970's, after the formation of the Ethological Society of India. At present a variety of topics such as foraging and feeding behaviour, habitat selection, social and reproductive behaviour, chronobiology, chemical communication signals and neurobehaviour are being investigated by Indian ethologists, who are mainly zoologists, and a few psychologists. A wide range of species from lower metazoa to higher vertebrates are observed by ethologists in India. An analysis of the development of ethology in India indicates that the progress of this discipline as a major field of research and teaching in India is satisfactory. Further, if the present trend is maintained, ethology should develop as a major discipline of animal research in India by the year 2000.