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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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