Life of Pi Animal Behavior

TOBI:

In his book the “Life of Pi” by Yann Martell, the author makes multiple references to animal behavior. Through this project we have researched each of the four animals: the zebra, Orangutan, Hyena, and the Tiger on their lifestyles and behavior. In order to write this book Yann Martel explained that he had to do a lot of research on zoo biology and animal psychology. In addition he spent 6 months doing research in India, where he visited every single zoo he could find in southern India. We will analyze the description of the animals in the book, to show you how the author provides a realistic representation of how these animals live, act and interact.

COLA:

GENERAL INFORMATION: Zebra, Oranguan, Hyena, Tiger

Firstly we started off by researching some interesting facts about each of the animals

The Zebra:

Zebras belong to the Equidae family (the family of horse-like animals) which are native to Africa in the eastern, southern and southwesten regions. The Equidae family: large/medium mamals with the following characteristics: with long heads, and necks with Mohawk like manes (hair that grows from the neck). Zebras are generally 8ft long and are 4-5ft tall at shoulder length. They weigh around 650lbs. Zebras are best known for their white and black stripes. There are 3 species of Zebras: Plain Zebras (known as the common Zebra), Grevy’s Zebra (known as the imperial zebra), and Mountain Zebra.

Zebras are found in different habitats mainly: grasslands, savannas, woodlands, mountains and costal hills. Zebra have never truly been domesticated animals however some still appear in zoos and other exhibitions.

Behavior in the wild: the zebra are very social animasl who congregate in large groups and travel together. The stronger males have the role of protecting the group from predators. A kick from a Zebra’s hove is deadly and they are extremely courageous and are known to fight off predators.

DANI:

The Orangutan:

Orangutans belong to the great apes specie, they are known for their intelligence and reddish brown hair. They are one of man’s closest relative sharing 97% of the same DNA. They have the ability to think and to speak. The origin of their name came from the indigenous people of Indonesia and Malaysia which called these apes: “Orang Hutan” which means: person of the forest. They are currently found in rainforests throughout Asia. Male orangutans: generally reach a height of 5 ft 9 weighing 250+ lbs

While female orangutans: generally only weigh 100lbs and grow to 4 feet

Behavior in the wild: Orangutans are shy, solitary animals that are active during the day. These apes live mainly in trees and swing from branch to branch using their strong arms. They sleep in nests which they construct in the trees. They live alone in large territories mainly. In order to get enough food and too many orangutans in one area might lead to starvation.

BEN:

The Hyena:

Hyenas are natives to Africa and Asia. They are members of the Hyaenidae family comprised of four different species of hyenas. They are large terrestrial carnivores and highly intelligent (strategic hunting methods). Behavior in the wild: They generally are found in baron environments like African savannahs and desserts. Hyenas range in sizes from medium to large weighing anywhere between 10 to 80kg. They are known for their massive jaws and large teeth. Scientists show that when hyenas devour their prey they eat the whole thing (including the bones). Hyenas are known to be extremely aggressive animals, while hunting in clans they will challenge even lions and force them back from their prey.

TOBI

Tiger

The Tiger is a mammal of the Felidae family, it is the largest in the “big cats” family. Native to eastern and southern Asia. The tiger is a top level predator and a carnivore “meat eater”. Reaching up to 4 meters in length weighing up to 660 pounds. Tigers are recognizable by the dark pattern of vertical black stripes that surround their fur. Tigers are among the most recognizable, popular, and appealing animals in the world. They appear in mythology, folklore, literature, and on flags and mascots. Tigers serve as the national animal of several Asian nations.

Behavior in the wild: Tigers are able to adapt to all different kinds of living conditions ranging from grasslands, tropical forests, grasslands, rocky lands and swamps. They require large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey demands. They are mostly nocturnal (which means they are more active at night. They are ambush predators which use their stripes as camouflage. They are also very good swimmers and have been known to kill prey while swimming. Tigers essentially live solitary lives. They are usually fiercely territorial and have and mark their large home ranges.

TOBI:

HOW DID HE DECIDE WHICH ANIMALS TO USE?

Yann Martel had a hard time deciding which animals to use in his novel. As the protagonist animal, he first wanted to use an elephant or a rhinoceros but both these ideas struck him as too comical, and rhinos are herbivores ( plant eaters - so they couldn’t survive at sea). He settled on the tiger, a popular symbol in literature and in India, and the choice seemed obvious for him (also because of its ability to adapt to different lifestyles). He explains that the other animals came naturally and that he embodied a characteristic or human trait for each of them:

Hyena: cowardliness

Oranutan: Maternity

Zebra: exoitism (strikingly unusual/different and often very colorful and exciting or suggesting distant countries and unfamiliar cultures)

The only contrast in this is that throughout the book is that there are only a couple instances where the hyena acts cowardly, but to the contrary he is aggressive. As a group we therefore concluded that he was picked to show a contrast between him and the tiger, and to better illustrate the tigers attributes.

COLA:

ANIMAL LIFESTYLE IN THE WILD VS IN ZOOS

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