Zoology: Understanding the Animal World

Get a solid foundation for all the terms and concepts you’ll encounter throughout this series. Discover what zoologists do (it’s much more than running zoos); take a close look at the phylogenic tree (the tree of life); and examine the definition of terms like species, natural selection, and conservation.

In this episode, explore the diversity of reproductive biology and sex in the animal kingdom. Along the way, you’ll cover topics including asexual and sexual reproduction, sexual behaviors in different animal groups, and some of the strangest sexual behavior in the animal kingdom: reproduction outside an animal’s body.

One goal of zoology is to help save the world’s endangered species by ensuring their ability to reproduce. Here, Dr. Moore, along with insights from two research biologists, reveals how reproductive scientists are working to help save giant pandas and cheetahs from extinction.

Why is parenting so essential to a species’ survival? Why do some animals have different parenting styles? Here, explore different parenting styles in everything from corals to salmon to humans. Then, encounter one of the most unique examples of parental care in mammals: the golden lion tamarin.

Marine invertebrates are some of the most economically important animals on the planet. Learn more about them in this episode on invertebrate “good guys” including mollusks (the largest phylum of marine animals), blue crabs, the American lobster, and corals (which surpass tropical rainforests in their levels of biodiversity).

There are more than 1 million species of insects on our planet. That's over half of all known extant species. In this episode, explore adaptations of some of the most important insects on our planet, including ants, bees, and butterflies. Also, focus on key conservation issues like colony collapse and pollinator conservation.