Biologist is Real-Life Mother Goose

Jessica Meir, a biologist at the University of British Columbia, is involved in research with bar-headed goslings, which are imprinted on her. The imprinting process helps in familiarizing the goslings with human interaction. The research focuses on understanding how these geese achieve high-altitude flights, even above Mount Everest, by examining their physiological adaptations such as large lungs and efficient red blood cells.

What role does Jessica Meir play in the lives of the goslings?

• She is their biological mother.

• She is their trainer.

• She is their veterinarian.

• She is their surrogate mother.

Why is imprinting important for the goslings in Jessica Meir's research?

• It improves their health.

• It helps them find food.

• It makes them more trainable and familiar with human interaction.

• It helps them learn to fly.

What unique ability do bar-headed geese have that is a focus of the research?

• They can swim long distances.

• They can live without water.

• They can fly at extremely high altitudes.

• They can mimic human speech.

What adaptation helps bar-headed geese breathe in low-oxygen environments?

• They have more feathers.

• They have larger wings.

• They have large lungs and efficient red blood cells.

• They have a special diet.

How do bar-headed geese compare to other birds in terms of migration altitude?

• They do not migrate.

• They fly at the same altitude as most birds.

• They fly higher than most birds, including above Mount Everest.

• They fly lower than most birds.