This class is meant to serve as an introduction to animal behavior and its implications, intended for non-biology majors as well as biology students who may want an easier, more fun introduction to the subject.

Our goal for our students is to develop the ability to observe animals in the wild and to start to understand them!

In this class we will explore behavioral phenomena within the animal kingdom and related environmental issues. The purpose of this is to learn about these behaviors, why they exist evolutionarily, and explore interesting examples seen in nature. We will highlight unique behaviors and adaptations exhibited by animals, as well as the basic anatomy and physiology controlling these behaviors.

In addition to weekly lectures, you will have the opportunity to attend field trips to the bay’s gorgeous wildlife areas to observe animals in their natural habitats. Field trips from past semesters included tidepooling at Duxbury reef, hiking at Point Reyes and Sunol Regional Wilderness, and listening to the dawn chorus at Tilden, among others.

By the end of the class, you will be equipped to:
• Appreciate and assess the diversity in the biological foundations for complex behaviors and actions. 

• Evaluate the evolutionary processes that lead to these structures. 

• Understand how researchers approach questions in the intersecting fields of zoology and neurology. 


The class is designed for all majors, freshman-senior who have an interest in animals, neurology, evolution, or nature as a whole. 


Enrollment is first come, first served, and although the course fills up at first it almost always ends up with extra spaces. Please join us, even if you don't immediately find a spot in the course. Fill out the google form to receive the CCN. Use the CCN to enroll on CalCentral! https://forms.gle/EysXkcEzrwPQ5fjs7 https://forms.gle/EysXkcEzrwPQ5fjs7 https://forms.gle/EysXkcEzrwPQ5fjs7 https://forms.gle/EysXkcEzrwPQ5fjs7