As in, is there a way of quantifying and testing whether or not a specific ‘need’ exists in an animal? Can the concept of needs be studied scientifically?
Yes, the only way to see if something is a need is to deprive the subject of it and see what happens. Since such deprivation can result in all sorts of damage to the subject, some of which may not become obvious for years or even generations, trying to asses whether something is actually ‘needed’ in the life of any creature is virtually impossible.
