Why Do Animals Play?

How much do you know about animals at play? Take this quick quiz and find out!

 

1. Which of these animals has been seen playing?
    a) Wolves
    b) Lobsters
    c) Komodo Dragons 
    d) all of the above

 

2. Which kinds of animals are more playful? 
    a) ones without backbones 
    b) smarter ones 
    c) cuter ones 
    d) ones with bigger bank accounts

 

3. At what age are animals most playful? 
   a) when they're courting 
   b) when they become parents 
   c) when they're young 
   d) right before they die

 

4. Playing may help an animal:
    a) by giving its brain a good workout 
    b) by letting it practice lifeskills 
    c) by teaching it how to handle danger and be creative 
    d) all of the above

 

5. Animals show they're playing by:
    
a) Giving a special signal, such as a "play bow"
    b) Drooling
    c) Trying to hurt each other
    d) Changing color

 

 

 

Answers: 1-d, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d, 5-a

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Cover June-July 2012
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Check out these highlights from the June-July issue of Ranger Rick magazine.

  • Meet some animal dads that devote a lot of time to their little ones.

  • It leaps like a rabbit, kicks like a horse, and has the head of a deer. With a red kangaroo, you get a whole zoo!
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