The study, led by researchers from the University of Bristol and University of Western Australia, found that juvenile male dolphins with strong social bonds practice adult-like reproductive behaviors when playing together. It was observed that those juvenile males who spend more time practicing these behaviors are more likely to father more offspring as adults. The study provides rare evidence for a link between juvenile social play and reproductive success in a wild animal, specifically male bottlenose dolphins.
The scientists spent years observing the behavior of juvenile male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia, and used long-term behavioral and genetic data from this population to investigate the role of juvenile social play in developing adult male reproductive behavior. They found that juvenile play involves immature versions of adult reproductive behaviors that are crucial for males to access and mate with estrous females. The time spent doing these play behaviors predicted how many offspring males eventually sire as adults.
Adult male dolphins in Shark Bay form long-term alliances to help each other secure access to females, with these alliances typically formed between males who were closely bonded as juveniles. The study showed that young males practice coordination with their likely future allies years before they become sexually mature. As adults, pairs or trios of allied males will coordinate their behavior to consort individual females, highlighting the importance of social bonds formed during juvenile play in future reproductive success.
Lead author Dr. Katy Holmes, who completed this work as part of her doctoral research at the University of Western Australia, emphasized the significance of the findings, stating that historically, it has been challenging to link play behavior to reproductive success in wild animals. The study provides compelling support for the idea that animals play together in the wild to practice behaviors that will be important for them as adults, ultimately leading to higher reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins.
Senior author Dr. Stephanie King, Associate Professor from Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences, noted that play behavior is widespread in humans and other animals, but the reasons for animals playing together have long remained a mystery. This study provides evidence that animals, including dolphins, play together to practice behaviors that will be important for them as adults. It highlights the importance of social play in the development of adult reproductive behaviors and the role it plays in ensuring reproductive success in male dolphins.
Overall, the study sheds light on the relationship between juvenile social play and adult reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins. By observing the behavior of juvenile male dolphins in Shark Bay, the researchers were able to show that social bonds formed during playtime play a crucial role in developing adult reproductive behaviors. The findings provide valuable insights into the importance of social play in wild animals and its role in shaping future reproductive success.
