Wiki Q and A

I was given the nickname “Wiki” by Paul and Devon and Joanna because it seems like I know a lot of stuff. Like Wikipedia, I have lots of answers to a lot of random questions. And so, to kick off a semi-regular feature on this blog, here is a question that was sent in by Paul in Encino.

Wiki - animals are born with instincts. Dogs, cats, whatever... But what instincts are humans born with? –Paul

Humans are born with an innate set of instincts. When they are born, they know who their parents are. They understand the concept of need for food and how to do what they can in order to get food. There is an inherent need to grow and learn and as each child grows, they learn boundaries. While learning about these boundaries, their parents are also teaching them more about their basic instincts to learn and grow.

Children know that when they are hungry, they need milk, whether by breast feeding or bottle. They just know it’s time for food. Over time, they learn to eat with their hands and eventually graduate to utensils (though eating with your fingers is sometimes required – like when you’re at Medieval Times). Children also learn the basic need for survival and are taught at a later age how to ask an adult for help if they are lost or in trouble.

To tie it back to the animal kingdom, you need to understand that all animals are born with those instincts because not all parents will stay with their young and ultimately abandon them, leaving them to survive on their own. A baby animal’s immediate instinct is survival and therefore food. In the wild, they will try to hunt for the most basic of insects or smaller animals in order to eat and will search for a water source to keep hydrated.

Obviously, in the zoos, when a mother abandons its young, the zookeepers try to use another mother as a surrogate or end up taking care of the babies themselves. While this insures the baby animal’s survival, it also becomes problematic if they ever choose to release the animal to the wild, because its natural instincts have become softened and lack proper growth.

If you want to learn more, check the website for the Los Angeles Zoo or contact a local anthropologist.

This has been the first of many (I’m certain) question and answer sessions. I hope you learned something, because I won’t repeat myself.