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It is possible that playing with stones is actually slowing down the ageing process. But for the older macaques, stone handling helps prevent the onset of forgetfulness and the loss of mental agility. He thinks that for the young macaques it's all about developing critical motor skills. Professor Michael Huffman was the first to record such behaviour in this particular troop. Some of these remarkable primates roll their stones, others grind their stones and some simply hoard them.

Macaques in the mountains above Kyoto in Japan play one very unusual game in to their old age. The power of play isn't just for the young. Scientists now think it helps elephant develop complex social skills, making them one of the most intelligent mammals in the animal kingdom. For the first eight years of its life, a calf will rarely stray from its mother's side and with food on tap, they have plenty and time and energy for playing. The African elephant has one of the longest and most playful childhoods in the animal kingdom. And in some species, it doesn't just give the brain a work out, it could cause parts of the brain to grow. So, for predators, play is a mental work out as well as a physical one. It gives her cheetah a mental work out as well as a physical one – helping them assess when they are likely to catch prey. To sharpen their decision-making skills, Marlice uses an industrial sized game of cat and mouse otherwise known as a lure. They also need to make split-second decisions about when to pursue prey and when to call it quits.

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A game of ball is perfect for helping them learn how to chase down objects that move in unpredictable ways. Marlice Van Vuuren has been looking after orphaned cheetahs for over 30 years and she uses object play to train them for their return to the wild. Their lives depend on their ability to hunt and they like to practice on objects. Young carnivores are among the most playful animals on the planet and science suggests there's a good reason for that. It isn't just how animals play that matters, it is what they play with that could prove critical to their survival in the wild. It is a risky tactic but one that teaches them how to react if they fall for real. It is thought they allow themselves to fall by momentarily letting go of the branches. So, to really get to grips with their treetop world juveniles take an enormous risk. But 15 metres up, one slip could prove fatal and it is something that the gibbons have to be prepared for. It is a daredevil method of locomotion called brachiating. In the forests of Thailand, Gibbons hurl themselves huge distances through the canopy. From juggling otters to sledging crows, scientists are discovering that play is a serious pastime across the natural world and some animals are willing to risk their lives to do it. Komodo dragons aren't the only unexpected animals that love playtime. It is one of the first examples of play behaviour ever recorded in a reptile. He thinks it might replicate their feeding behaviour – burying their heads deep inside a carcass to get food.

Using objects like paper bags and buckets, he has observed that they like playing with things on their heads and it led him to wonder what they might gain from doing this. Professor Gordon Burghardt has been studying them in captivity for the last 20 years and has started to see their playful side. The komodo dragon is the largest lizard on earth and a cold-blooded killer to boot. Even some reptiles have an appetite for fun. Scientist are discovering that it is a lot more widespread than previously thought. But play isn't practiced by just a few species. The more they play, the more they hone their skills and eventually these cubs will become formidable tree-based hunters. They give the animals a feel-good factor, which makes these games highly addictive.

But why? It is all about the release of dopamine and endorphins – the body's reward chemicals. And they play these same games over and over again. In the jungles of Thailand, clouded leopard cubs are chasing, climbing, jumping on each other and play fighting. And some unexpected species are getting in on all the fun and games. From cats that love a game of chase to chimps that can solve puzzles, new research now reveals that play is at the heart of almost everything an animal learns. Erinnerung Termin eintragen The Power of PlayĪcross the natural world, young animals spend much of their time playing.

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