A Close Interaction Between a Brown Bear and a Wolf in the Central Apennines (Italy)

摘要

The benefits of 'play behavior' are still not entirely understood. In some cases, because the role of play is not evident and may be performed at great cost to animals, play might be a side product of other beneficial processes that counteract the costs of play (Sarti Oliveira et al. 2010). For example, play may increase behavioral variability and help tune adaptive behavioral flexibility, and short-term neuromuscular, neuroendocrine, and immunological improvements may result from play, helping individuals that are still immature to counteract the effects of stress (Fagen and Fagen 2009). Moreover, the energetic cost of play is irrelevant if feeding is adequate or if it favors the development of other skills (Sarti Oliveira et al. 2010). For example, the social role of playing (i.e., play behavior among conspecifics) may be related to greater group cohesion (Sarti Oliveira et al. 2010). However, play behaviors are rarely observed between two different species and, especially, between different species of large carnivores that have potentially harmful weapons (teeth and claws).