Researchers from the University of Bristol and the University of Western Australia claimed there is a link between playful interactions during youth and adult reproductive behaviours among male bottlenose dolphins.

Their findings were published this month in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, where they detailed their observation of juvenile male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia.

The study, leveraging long-term behavioural and genetic data, claimed juvenile dolphins with robust social bonds engaged in adult-like reproductive behaviours during play sessions.

Lead author Dr Katy Holmes, who spearheaded the research during her doctoral studies at the University of Western Australia, said: 'Juvenile play involves immature versions of adult reproductive behaviours crucial for males to access and mate with oestrous females. The time spent engaging in these play behaviours predicts the number of offspring males sires as adults.'

In Shark Bay, they added that adult male dolphins forged enduring alliances to secure access to females, often forming partnerships with individuals they bonded with as juveniles. The study underscores how juvenile dolphins, through playful interactions, hone the coordination skills necessary for future reproductive success, forming the foundation for lifelong alliances.

Dr Stephanie King, Associate Professor from Bristol's School of Biological Sciences and senior author of the study, said: 'This study provides compelling support for the idea that animals in the wild play together to practice behaviours crucial for their adult lives. If they practice enough, they are more likely to be successful as adults.'