▁behaviour ▁patterns , ▁indicates ▁that ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁an ▁alter ation ▁in ▁the ▁functionality ▁of ▁the ▁individual . ▁Using ▁f ract al ▁analysis , ▁it ▁is ▁possible ▁to ▁examine ▁the ▁movement ▁sequ ential ▁complexity ▁of ▁animal ▁behaviour ▁and ▁to ▁determine ▁whether ▁individuals ▁are ▁experien cing ▁devi ations ▁from ▁their ▁optimal ▁range , ▁suggesting ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁condition . ▁For ▁example , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁assess ▁w elf are ▁of ▁domestic ▁h ens , ▁stress ▁in ▁bott len ose ▁dol ph ins ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁human ▁disturb ance , ▁and ▁par as it ic ▁in fection ▁in ▁Japanese ▁mac a ques ▁and ▁sheep . ▁The ▁research ▁is ▁further ing ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁behaviour al ▁e col ogy ▁by ▁simpl ifying ▁and ▁quant ifying ▁very ▁complex ▁relationships . ▁When ▁it ▁comes ▁to ▁animal ▁w elf are ▁and ▁conservation , ▁f ract al ▁analysis ▁makes ▁it ▁possible ▁to ▁identify ▁potential ▁sources ▁of ▁stress ▁on ▁animal ▁behaviour , ▁stress ors ▁that ▁may ▁not ▁always ▁be ▁disc ern ible ▁through ▁classical ▁behaviour ▁research . ▁ ▁This ▁approach ▁is ▁more ▁objective ▁than ▁classical ▁behaviour ▁measurements , ▁such ▁as ▁frequency - based ▁observations ▁that ▁are ▁limited ▁by ▁the ▁counts ▁of ▁behav i ours , ▁but ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁del ve ▁into ▁the ▁underlying ▁reason ▁for ▁the ▁behaviour . ▁Another ▁important ▁advantage ▁of ▁f ract al ▁analysis ▁is ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁monitor ▁the ▁health ▁of ▁wild ▁and ▁free - r anging ▁animal ▁populations ▁in ▁their ▁natural ▁habit ats ▁without ▁invas ive ▁measurements . ▁ ▁App lications ▁include ▁ ▁App