Why Are Some Animal Babies So Helpless

The video explores the differences between altricial and precocial animals, focusing on their development and parental care strategies. Altricial animals, like rabbits, are born helpless and require significant parental care, while precocial animals, like hares, are more developed at birth and more independent. The video discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy, including parental investment, offspring survival, and the spectrum of development across species. It highlights how these strategies are adaptations to environmental circumstances.

What is a key difference between altricial and precocial animals?

• Precocial animals require more parental care.

• Altricial animals are born with open eyes.

• Altricial animals are born more developed.

• Precocial animals are more independent at birth.

Which of the following is true about altricial species?

• They have a longer incubation period.

• They produce fewer offspring.

• Their young are independent at birth.

• Their young are more vulnerable to predators.

Why might precocial animals have a better chance of survival against predators?

• They are born with closed eyes.

• They receive no parental care.

• They can often move quickly soon after birth.

• They are born in larger litters.

How do environmental adaptations influence the development of animal offspring?

• They ensure all species are either altricial or precocial.

• They have no impact on offspring development.

• They determine the exact number of offspring.

• They influence how developed the offspring are at birth.

What is an example of a species that does not fit neatly into altricial or precocial categories?

• Blue wildebeest

• Humans

• Hares

• Rabbits