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oai:figshare.com:article/32641077 2026-10-01T16:26:02Z portal_1172 item_type_8 month_year_10_2026

Why do animals play? Unravelling the functions of play behaviour in fallow deer fawns, Dama dama George Beckton Brown (24169788) PUREID: 638781862 play animal behaviour deer dama dama development behavioural ecology sexual segregation anthropogenic disturbance stress glucocorticoid social network analysis Play is an enigmatic behaviour displaying considerable structural variation and appearing across chordates, molluscs, and arthropods. The mechanisms underlying play and its adaptive significance remain poorly understood due to logistical and ethical constraints during experimental studies, as well as the rarity and variability of play in natural settings. This thesis investigates play in a population of free-roaming fallow deer (Dama dama), examining how environmental, social, and intrinsic factors influence its expression. Three distinct types of play (locomotor, social, and object) showed unique developmental patterns, each associated differently with specific environmental and social factors, suggesting varied proximate drivers and potentially adaptive functions. The probability and duration of social play, in particular rougher forms, were higher in males than females, highlighting a sex-specific functional role. These sexual differences reduced opposite-sex interactions during early life, potentially setting the stage for adult sexual segregation commonly observed in ungulates. The presence of humans negatively impacted fawn play, demonstrating that anthropogenic disturbances suppress natural juvenile behaviours. Importantly, fawns showed no habituation to repeated human encroachment, underscoring persistent adverse effects on wildlife. Contrary to expectations, prenatal stress, measured by cortisol accumulation in hair at birth, did not directly affect juvenile play. Nevertheless, higher cortisol levels strongly correlated with increased flight reactivity, indicating that prenatal stress significantly impacts other survival-critical behaviours. Overall, these findings reveal that play behaviour in fallow deer results from multiple interacting proximate mechanisms involving external environmental and internal physiological states. This thesis enhances understanding of play's adaptive significance alongside its influence on social structure and highlights the detrimental consequences of human disturbance on juvenile behaviours in the wild.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2028</i>. 2026-10-01T16:26:02Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32641077.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Why_do_animals_play_Unravelling_the_functions_of_play_behaviour_in_fallow_deer_fawns_Dama_dama/32641077 All Rights Reserved Open Access after 2028-07-31