David Mellor, Professor, Institute of Vet, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, will cover the development of survival-critical behaviours in newborn mammals: postnatal onset of behavioural flexibility in groups of young with different levels of brain maturity at birth. The talk will lead into discussion of questions related to fetal and neonatal consciousness and implications for the welfare of various groups of mammals.  Pre- and post-hatching consciousness in birds will also be discussed.