There were 3 groups in the study: the non-experimental, or control, group, the long-term provisioning group and the short-term provisioning group. The control group was given nothing and was not disturbed from their normal foraging routine, but was simply observed for play interactions and weighed daily. Play interactions were documented on a one/zero score, meaning that every 20 seconds each pup was observed as either playing (one) or not playing (zero). Their weight was measured in the morning as soon as they emerged from the den and at night before they retreated to their den in order to get a daily weight gain total for each pup. The long-term provisional group was observed in a similar way, but pups from each litter were randomly assigned experimental status. These pups received 12 grams of hard-boiled egg twice a day for 4 weeks. All pups were weighed morning and night and their play was observed on a one/zero score every 20 seconds both in the morning before the group left for foraging and at night when they returned to their den. The short-term provisioning group was treated exactly the same as the long-term group, except that they only received provisions of hard-boiled egg for 4 days. They were weighed and observed just like the other groups.
The results supported their hypothesis that nutritional status is positively correlated with the rate of play in meerkats. Although there was no significant correlation between an individual pup's weight and its rate of play, weight gain over the long-term provisioning experiment was positively correlated with rate of play. Weight gain explained 31% of the variation in rates of play between litter mates in this experimental group. Provisioned pups spent significantly more time playing and less time begging or foraging than the unfed control group. The short-term group displayed very interesting results. During the first hour after receiving their provisions, fed pups played significantly more than the control group, however this effect wore off after the first hour and their was no significant change in rate of play from short-term to control group pups.
These results do confirm that variation in food consumption does have an effect on the rate of play in meerkats. The experimenters believe this is because play requires a significant amount of energy and unfed or hungrier meerkats are going to spend more time and energy foraging or begging for food than engaging in a behavior such as play, which does not directly contribute to their survival. Well-fed meerkats who are not worried about starvation will engage in play more often and interact more socially with their group overall.
This study is especially interesting in relation to meerkats because they are considered to be very social, interactive animals. It is important to understand under what conditions being social facilitates their survival and when it is cut out in order to focus on more important tasks that will help them survive. The experimenters in this study hope to do more studies in the future to better understand this correlation and to try and understand more clearly the function of play in not only meerkats, but animals in general, as this is a somewhat understudied area of animal behavior.
References:
L.L. Sharpe, T.H. Clutton-Brock, P.N.M. Brotherton, E.Z. Cameron, M.I. Cherry, Experimental provisioning increases play in free-ranging meerkats, Animal Behaviour, Volume 64, Issue 1, July 2002, Pages 113-121, ISSN 0003-3472, 10.1006/anbe.2002.3031. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347202930319)
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