Ethology (ee-THAL-oh-jee) - n. the study of animal behavior.

In zoological environments and in the wild, ethology plays a critical role in the care and management of animals. In this issue's feature story, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's animal care experts used ethology to carefully document Kishina's behavior before and after the birth of her baby to identify and encourage nurturing behavior critical to the bonding process. And, in this issue's "Where in the World" story, SeaWorld aviculturist Barbara Shurman and colleagues collected ethological data on seabird species in the Galapagos, specifically how these birds use marine and coastal habitats, information critical to protecting and preserving wildlife species.