Communication is imperative for animals. It helps them establish their territories, find a mate, and work together. There are four main ways animals communicate with each other: visual, auditory, chemical, and tactile.1
Visual Communication
Visual communication consists of body language or color signals. Take chimpanzees as an example. They will make direct eye contact or hit the ground to communicate. Wolves also have a variety of visual cues in their body language that can help them communicate with other wolves.1&2
Auditory Communication
Communication through sound for animals sounds different than how humans communicate verbally, but it can be just as effective. Birds are a prime example of this type of communication. They will sing or make other noises in order to communicate, establish and defend their territory, and attract partners. Other examples include dolphins and bullfrogs.2
Chemical Communication
Pheromones help animals communicate, too. This chemical is released and often causes a response in another individual of the same species. This chemical communicates danger, attraction, or can even help mark a food trail. Insects that are social tend to communicate this way.2
Tactile Communication
This type of communication involves physically touching another. Honeybees perform a specific type of dance to communicate they’ve found food – other honeybees will get the message through touch. This type of communication can also form and strengthen bonds between animals in a group, like primates grooming each other.2 Another example of tactile communication is when male animals fight each other during mating season.1
Learn more about your favorite animals through tactile learning with our puzzles! This hands-on activity is a fun way for students to learn about all different species of animals. Each puzzle comes in the form of an animal and with an insert of fun facts about that animal so they can learn as they put the pieces together! |
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