A recent study suggests that orangutan mothers arrange playdates for their offspring. Researchers observed 30,000 hours of wild Bornean mother-offspring pairs and found that mothers travelled to the territories of other mothers with similarly aged young for their offspring to play.
This behaviour is notable as orangutans are typically a solitary species. While play is common among many animal species, orangutan mothers actively facilitate these encounters, rather than play being a side-effect of adults gathering.
For young animals, play is thought to be a rehearsal for life, helping them learn communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution. Play is not exclusive to the young; adult animals, such as corvids and bumble bees, also engage in playful activities.
Scientists are exploring how playfulness applies to humans. Research by Xiangyou “Sharon” Shen and Zoe Crawley found that adults who were more playful coped better with the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Playful individuals reportedly found creative solutions to problems and remained more optimistic.