Question

Scientists have made the following observations:

Egyptian vultures use rocks to break open ostrich eggs, which they then eat.
A vulture may search as far as 50 m away from an ostrich egg for an appropriate rock (which is generally egg-shaped) to use to break the egg. The vulture then throws the rock at the egg until the egg cracks.
This same rock-throwing behavior also occurs in young captive-hatched birds that have not been exposed to rock-throwing adults. However, these naive vultures had to learn that the ostrich eggs were a source of food.
Some scientists theorize that this behavior developed from the tactic of throwing smaller eggs to break them open. Ostrich eggs, however, are too big to pick up and throw, so perhaps the rock-throwing technique evolved in the vultures. This could explain why vultures choose rocks that are egg-shaped, rather than ones that are jagged or irregular.
Based on the scientists' observations and your knowledge of animal behavior, which of the following statements are true?
Select all that apply.
a. Examining the anatomical mechanism that enables Egyptian vultures to throw rocks relates to proximate causation.
b. Rock-throwing in vultures is e rock-throwing behavior arose from egg-throwing relates to ultimate causation.
c. Questioning whether the rock-throwing behavior arose from egg-throwing relates to ultimate causation.
d. Egyptian vultures must imprint on their own species in order to crack eggs using rocks.
e. In Egyptian vultures, eating ostrich eggs is a learned behavior.
f. The shape of the rock that the vultures choose is modified by their experience.
g. Pecking at eggs to break them open is an example of tool use.

Answer 1

Option (a), (c), (d) and (e).

Step-by-step explanation:

Innate behavior may be defined as the behavior present in the animals by the birth. Learned behavior is acquired by the organism that helps them to adapt themselves in their environment.

On the basis of the observations that are made by the scientist given in the question, the throwing of rocks by the vulture is the proximate causation. The rock throwing is present as innate behavior in vulture as it is present in them by birth. The scientist can question whether the rock throwing arise through the egg throwing arise due to the ultimate causation. The eating of the ostrich egg is learned behavior in vultures as they have learned it from the other individuals.

Thus, the correct answer is option (a), (c), (d) and (e).