Thursday, April 5, 2007
[4/6 Edit - fixed the date.]
A friend sent me a description and observation from her friend, who had seen three young rabbits playing leapfrog, almost exactly the way children play it. They lined up, and the end rabbit jumped over each of the other two, then the end rabbit jumped over two, and the line of bunnies progressed across the lawn that way. She had seen squirrels "playing" before, but was surprised that rabbits play, too.
I'm not. I have several times seen two rabbits playing leapfrog, taking turns leaping over each other. Almost all young animals have games of some kind, games that can only be described as games because they don't seem to have any survival purpose, and the animals are so obviously enjoying them.
I've seen the calves down the road play something that looks a lot like tag. They have another game where they form a circle, all facing in, and they stand very still for a moment, and then suddenly one calf will break out and run away, and all the others try to catch her. Year after year the calves play the same games, and you have to wonder where they learn them.
In mammals, play usually seems to disappear at puberty, but not always.
I've watched adult crows play. One favorite game is where everybody forms a line in the sky, then the line loops around to form a horizontal figure 8, and the crows go 'round and 'round the figure 8, interweaving at the crossing. As each crow interleaves, alternates, through the crossing, they caw loudly. The enjoyment is obvious.
If joy is an emotion, how can people say animals don't experience emotions?
-------------------------------------
The day was spent on catching up on emails, and on the telephone. FirstWoman called in the morning, and we talked for quite a while. The Man called on his way into work at noon, and we talked for quite a while. The lady from the volunteer program called to ask if I could man a table at a charity fair. We didn't talk long, because I wasn't available that day. I called Piper to find out how his lady is doing, and we talked for maybe a half hour (she's fine). Roman called this evening, and we talked for quite a while.
For someone who hates the telephone, I sure am appreciating calls these days. Maybe I've finally just found people I like talking to on the phone.
.
