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IN SCIENCE
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Why Study Animals?
There are many reasons why scientists study animals. Click
on the following headings to find out why. More information can be obtained
by clicking on highlighted words within each section.
Human health
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understanding what causes diseases and how they may
be treated and prevented,
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exploring parallels
between animal and human disease,
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studying animal
models of normal or abnormal human function,
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studying normal
function in animals, and improving our knowledge of how contact
with companion animals can help people to stay well or recover from
illnesses or injuries (therapeutic
support from animals).
Health of companion, sport and
service animals
Animal-based
science also aims to improve the health
and welfare of
animals that provide us with companionship as pets
and with which we share other activities. These activities include entertainment,
recreation, sport,
service and helping
people to stay well or get better after they have been ill or injured
(therapeutic support).
Animal-based scientists have helped us to understand the special needs
of these animals. For instance, the special diets that young animals need
so they can grow properly, the different food needs of dogs and cats,
the special food needs of pregnant, nursing (lactating) and aged pets,
the particular foods birds need, the special diets, exercise and health
care required during the training and racing of sports animals, and so
on.
Farm and other production animals
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Native and endangered wildlife
Animal-based
scientists work to find better and humane ways to preserve, protect
and manage a range of animal species that is ecologically
stable and adapted to the New Zealand environment. This work is directed
at safeguarding New Zealand's native
animals, many of which are birds, and New Zealand's native plants.
It involves knowing about the native animals themselves, the foods they
like and need, and what other animals threaten their survival. Threats
to native animals arise from direct attacks by predators
or by over-browsing of essential food plants by other so-called “pest”
animals. A major threat to plants arises from over-browsing. Thus, safeguarding
our native animals and plants also involves developing humane and effective
pest control
methods to protect such animal and plant species from the animals that
threaten them.
Knowledge of biological processes
Animal-based
scientists work to broaden the foundations of biological science,
including our knowledge and understanding of life processes in all animal
species.
We have an in-built curiosity to discover how things work. This curiosity
leads us to explore how the bodies of animals and people work, simply
because we would like to know. This is a separate and distinct reason,
quite different from all of the others noted here.
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