Wolf pups more likely to play on equal terms with similarly aged partners
Wolf puppy play behaviors may be influenced by their play partner's age, according to a study published May 11, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jennifer Essler from the Messerli Research Institute (Vetmed Vienna) and the Wolf Science Center, Austria, and colleagues.
Scientists have hypothesized that to facilitate social play, individuals may act to maintain equality by following a "50:50 rule," where each player is 'winning' or 'losing' 50% of the time. For instance, instead of using offensive tactics during play, a dominant animal may show 'self-handicapping' to put itself at a disadvantage, allowing a subordinate to 'win.'
The authors of the present study observed play styles in captive wolves, analyzing play interactions in puppy-puppy and puppy-adult pairs to test if the interactions adhered to the 50:50 rule. They found that play in wolf puppies did not appear to follow this rule. Puppy-puppy pairs consistently showed more equal play than puppy-adult pairs, although the degree of equality varied greatly. In puppy-adult pairs, however, the puppies engaged in self-handicapping and less offensive behaviors, rather than the adults.
The authors propose that such behavior may act to reinforce the dominant adult and subordinate puppy hierarchy established outside of play, and hope that continued research in this area may provide further insight.
Jennifer Essler notes: "The study presents the first evidence that wolf puppies do not show egalitarian play styles, and adult wolves do not appear to exhibit self-handicapping behaviors to engage the puppies in play. Thus, it does not appear that the retained levels of conspecific cooperation within wolves, compared to dogs, has selected for more egalitarian play styles."
More information: Essler JL, Cafazzo S, Marshall-Pescini S, Virányi Z, Kotrschal K, Range F (2016) Play Behavior in Wolves: Using the '50:50' Rule to Test for Egalitarian Play Styles. PLoS ONE 11(5): e0154150. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154150
Journal information: PLoS ONE
Provided by Public Library of Science
"Wanaume wa Wolf wana tabia ya kucheza na watoto wa Wolf wana umri sawa, kulingana na utafiti uliochapishwa Mei 11, 2016 katika jarida la wazi la PLOS ONE na Jennifer Esser kutoka Taasisi ya Utafiti ya Messerli (Vetmed Vienna) na Kituo cha Sayansi cha Wolf, Austria.""" "Wanasayansi wamedokeza kwamba ili kuwezesha kucheza kijamii, watu wanaweza kutenda ili kudumisha usawa kwa kufuata ""sheria ya 50: 50,"" ambapo kila mchezaji ni ""kushinda"" au ""kupoteza"" 50% ya wakati." Kwa mfano, badala ya kutumia mbinu za kushambulia wakati wa kucheza, mnyama mwenye mamlaka aweza kuonyesha 'kujidhuru' ili kujiweka katika hali ya hasara, na kuruhusu mnyama aliye chini 'ashinde.' Watafiti walichunguza tabia za kucheza za mbwa mwitu walio katika utekwa, na kuchanganua mwingiliano wa kucheza katika jozi za mbwa-mbwa na mbwa-mbwa-mzee, ili kupima ikiwa mwingiliano huo ulifuata sheria ya 50: 50. Waligundua kwamba michezo ya watoto wa mbwa-mwitu haikuonekana kufuata sheria hiyo. Kwa kawaida, watoto wachanga na watoto wadogo hucheza kwa usawa kuliko watoto wachanga na watu wazima, ingawa kiwango cha usawa kilitofautiana sana. Hata hivyo, katika jozi za mbwa-mzee, mbwa-mwitu walijizuia wenyewe na walikuwa na tabia zisizo na jeuri kama za watu wazima. "Wanahusika wanasema kwamba tabia kama hiyo inaweza kuimarisha ""mzee wa kutawala na mwana-mbwa wa chini"" aliyeanzishwa nje ya mchezo, na wanatarajia kwamba utafiti ulioendelea katika eneo hili unaweza kutoa ufahamu zaidi." "Jennifer Essler anasema: ""Utafiti huu unaonyesha ushahidi wa kwanza kwamba mbwa-mwitu hawaonyeshi mitindo ya kucheza ya usawa, na mbwa-mwitu wazima hawaonekani kuonyesha tabia za kujizuia kujihusisha na mbwa-mwitu katika kucheza." "Kwa hiyo, haionekani kwamba viwango vilivyodumishwa vya ushirikiano wa aina moja ndani ya mbwa-mwitu, ikilinganishwa na mbwa, vimechagua mitindo ya kucheza ya usawa zaidi. """ "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Mashari ya 50: 50"" ya Essler, J.L. Cafazzo, Marshall-Pecini, Z. Virani, Kotershell, K. F. (2016), tabia ya kucheza katika mbwa mwitu: kutumia kanuni ya 50: 50 ""kujaribu kwa mitindo ya kucheza ya usawa." PLO1 (PRODUCT) - E0154155 - Mfumo wa Usimamizi wa Usimamizi wa Usimamizi wa Usimamizi "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Jarida la Utafiti"" (Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida la Utafiti: Jarida wa Utafiti: Jarida wa Utafiti: Jarida wa Utafiti: Jarida wa Utafiti:"