Water games by mountain gorillas: implications for behavioral development and flexibility-a case report

Area of Science:

• Primatology
• Ethology
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• Play is crucial for development, motor training, and behavioral flexibility in many species.
• While social play is well-documented, solitary play, especially in great apes, remains understudied.
• Gorillas exhibit complex social structures and behaviors, but detailed observations of solitary activities are less common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document and analyze instances of solitary water play in mountain gorillas.
• To investigate the specific behaviors and movements associated with solitary water play.
• To contribute to the understanding of behavioral flexibility and exploration in this species.

Main Methods:

• Focal sampling was employed to record behaviors of subadult and adult mountain gorillas.
• Observations were conducted in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, over several days in early 2018.
• Detailed descriptions of interactions with water, including specific movements and facial expressions, were recorded.

Main Results:

• Multiple instances of solitary water play were observed in subadult and adult mountain gorillas.
• Observed behaviors included arm rotation, splashing, head tilting, play faces, and hand sweeping to create waves.
• One observation documented vigorous water splashing, a behavior not previously reported for gorillas in this region.

Conclusions:

• Solitary water play is a component of mountain gorilla behavior, demonstrating behavioral flexibility.
• These observations provide new insights into the developmental and exploratory aspects of gorilla behavior.
• Further research into solitary behaviors can enhance our understanding of primate cognition and adaptation.