Strange Country Ep. 283: Play Time

Strange Country

Hey Dash Hounds, you clever playful listeners. Why do we play? Are we even allowed to play as adults without judgment. Not if Beth is around. In this episode, Kelly and Beth discuss the science of play—specifically animal play. Of course we have watched our cats indulge in “playful” ankle biting, but other animals also incorporate play in their daily lives. But why? Listen and find out. Thank you always for listening; it’s an act of love.

Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands.

Works cited, dude:

Wikipedia, https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-5-freaky-facts-about-dolphin-sex/dolphins-are-sexually-aggressive-and-violent. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Gigliotti, Carol. The Creative Lives of Animals. NYU Press, 2022.

“Information and stories about San Francisco coyotes: behavior & personality, coexistence & outreach, by Janet Kessler: Unveiling first-hand just how savvy, social, sentient and singular coyotes really are! | Page 3.” Coyote Yipps, 10 November 2023, https://coyoteyipps.com/page/3/. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Norris, Courtney. “Group of orcas attack and sink vessels off Iberian Peninsula.” PBS, 14 June 2023, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/group-of-orcas-attack-and-sink-vessels-off-iberian-peninsula. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Smith, Ellie. “Why playing games is good for you.” BBC, 3 February 2022, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220127-why-adults-should-embrace-their-playfulness. Accessed 9 June 2024.

Toomey, David. Kingdom of Play: What Ball-bouncing Octopuses, Belly-flopping Monkeys, and Mud-sliding Elephants Reveal about Life Itself. Scribner, 2024. Accessed 9 June 2024.