Learning about Animal and People Minds
Ever since I can remember I have been interested in and fascinated by animals. It is possible that my love for animals came from watching Disney movies such as The Lion King and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. My curiosity increased when I read Temple Grandin’s book Animals in Translation. Grandin discusses how animals think and communicate by using examples such as what melanin does in the brain (78). I have also grown up with animals throughout my life and believe I have the ability to communicate with them beyond the abilities of others. When I visited family and friends, if their dogs were nervous they would immediately calm down when they met me. Around early elementary school I realized that I …show more content…
This course gave me a broader introduction into the differences between animals and their physiology. Some of the animals discussed include elephants, large fish, and giraffes. These animals were selected due to of their large size which allows them to be studied easily. One of the differences we studied was blood pressure in these animals. For example, blood pressure in an elephant’s leg is higher than the blood pressure in a human due to the relative size of the elephant and the distance between the location of the blood pressure cuff and the heart. Animals such as elephants also have larger brains than humans. This is key and intriguing information to use in my career because it is important to know the differences in physiology between different animals and the affects it may have on their mind and …show more content…
Class discussions included a range of topics from common fish living in the local watershed to the importance of water clarity. These discussions are key to understanding how a fish or other aquatic organisms behave when in an environment that is not clean. Research done in areas such as Lake Tahoe showed that invasive species can affect the water quality and make it unable for fish to survive. This is due to invasive species having the same diet as fish. The most interesting part of this class was doing a presentation on an Aquatic Ecology topic of our choice. The other student presentations provided in-depth information on a variety of topics including information on Lake Tahoe and other species of animals that live in aquatic ecosystems My presentation topic was River Dolphins; a species I was introduced to by taking this course. Two of the most interesting facts related to river dolphin’s anatomy is their longer nose needed to search for food, and a large and well developed brain that is similar to ocean dolphins. Fish and other aquatic species are important organisms to study in order to understand the health of our local ecosystem. I may have the opportunity to apply this information working with an environmental organization or a science
Ever since I can remember I have been interested in and fascinated by animals. It is possible that my love for animals came from watching Disney movies such as The Lion King and One Hundred and One Dalmatians. My curiosity increased when I read Temple Grandin’s book Animals in Translation. Grandin discusses how animals think and communicate by using examples such as what melanin does in the brain (78). I have also grown up with animals throughout my life and believe I have the ability to communicate with them beyond the abilities of others. When I visited family and friends, if their dogs were nervous they would immediately calm down when they met me. Around early elementary school I realized that I …show more content…
This course gave me a broader introduction into the differences between animals and their physiology. Some of the animals discussed include elephants, large fish, and giraffes. These animals were selected due to of their large size which allows them to be studied easily. One of the differences we studied was blood pressure in these animals. For example, blood pressure in an elephant’s leg is higher than the blood pressure in a human due to the relative size of the elephant and the distance between the location of the blood pressure cuff and the heart. Animals such as elephants also have larger brains than humans. This is key and intriguing information to use in my career because it is important to know the differences in physiology between different animals and the affects it may have on their mind and …show more content…
Class discussions included a range of topics from common fish living in the local watershed to the importance of water clarity. These discussions are key to understanding how a fish or other aquatic organisms behave when in an environment that is not clean. Research done in areas such as Lake Tahoe showed that invasive species can affect the water quality and make it unable for fish to survive. This is due to invasive species having the same diet as fish. The most interesting part of this class was doing a presentation on an Aquatic Ecology topic of our choice. The other student presentations provided in-depth information on a variety of topics including information on Lake Tahoe and other species of animals that live in aquatic ecosystems My presentation topic was River Dolphins; a species I was introduced to by taking this course. Two of the most interesting facts related to river dolphin’s anatomy is their longer nose needed to search for food, and a large and well developed brain that is similar to ocean dolphins. Fish and other aquatic species are important organisms to study in order to understand the health of our local ecosystem. I may have the opportunity to apply this information working with an environmental organization or a science