In the world, there are many different animals, and they all act in different ways. Sometimes, animals do things to help them find food or protect themselves. Behavioral ecology is a big word that means scientists study why animals do the things they do. They look at how animals behave and try to understand how their behavior helps them live and have babies. For example, some animals make loud sounds to find their friends, while others hide to avoid being eaten. By studying animal behavior, scientists can learn a lot about how animals live in the wild.