How do animals develop instincts
In: Biology
There are not a lot of true instincts animals are born with. Humans turn their head when something presses against their cheek and suckle when something touches their mouth. This helos them find a nipple and drink. Almost everything else is learned.
Animals learn behavior through imitation of their parents and play. Birds teach the young birds what songs to sing. Cats learn to pounce from play.
Animals raised with humans do not fear humans, like a cat and chick raised together treat each other as siblings
This may not be true with simpler animals such as insects
Individuals don’t. The species does by mutation and selection (as the individuals that don’t have the new beneficial instinct don’t reproduce as well as the individuals that do)