Final answer:
Alejandro's parents taught him about animals to pass on subsistence skills and cultural practices rooted in their society's close relationship with animals. Knowledge of animal behavior is vital for survival and maintaining traditions in many indigenous cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alejandro's parents likely taught him many things about animals as part of the socialization process and skills required for subsistence in their culture. Learning about animals is an integral aspect of many indigenous societies where dependence on animals for survival is paramount. This knowledge includes understanding animal behaviors, mastering cognitive skills for hunting, and often involves taming and keeping wildlife as pets, which is a common practice among various cultures. For example, knowledge of animal behavior aids in subsistence hunting, and having pets encourages close observation and learning among children.
Cultural practices of keeping animals as pets also facilitate a deeper connection between humans and animals. This is evident through the numerous examples of indigenous groups such as the Waraõ of Venezuela, the Kayapó of Brazil, the Barasana of Colombia, and North American Indigenous groups that keep a variety of animals, including birds, monkeys, and even young jaguars, as integral parts of their family and community life. Therefore, teaching children like Alejandro about animals aligns with the notion that caring for and understanding animals is a valuable life skill and a crucial element of their cultural heritage.
Encountering animals in different contexts, such as meerkats that learn survival skills from their parents or people in Andean communities who view their herds as gifts from Pachamama, reinforces the significance of animal knowledge in diverse settings. These examples illustrate why parents in various cultures invest time in teaching their children about the animal world, which ultimately aids in the continuation of traditions and survival skills relevant to their way of life.