Late bloomers in play: social isolation and playful skills in an adult bonobo.

Abstract

Social play requires communicative abilities that start developing since the first phases of life. Due to their paedomorphic nature, bonobos (Pan paniscus) tend to maintain a playful attitude also in adulthood. Here, we present the case of an adult bonobo (Congo) that has never had any contact with conspecifics in the first 40 years of life. In 2023, Congo underwent an introduction protocol at the Wilhelma Zoo. Prior to the data collection period, he had spent 8 months within the group. The aim was evaluating Congo's playful social competence and his ability to react in a resilient way to others' stimuli. The play sessions involving Congo and two juveniles (CPSs) were compared with play sessions occurring in other adult-juvenile pairs (OPSs). Compared to OPSs, CPSs were shorter and more punctuated by grooming pauses that were totally absent during OPSs. Despite increased grooming, CPSs had a higher risk of escalation into overt aggression from Congo frequently screaming during the interaction. Unlike other adults, Congo never rapidly replicated the partners' playful facial displays, a phenomenon known as rapid facial mimicry. Despite Congo appearing to struggle to manage social play, he responded to other's invitations, thus indicating a presence of play motivation. Albeit being just a case report, our findings emphasize the importance of adult play as a mechanism for social integration, even in individuals entirely unfamiliar with its nuances. Although animals engage in play early in life, it is never too late to play the game and strengthen social bonds.