are humans the only animal which say play tenis for no particular reason?
From what I have seen observing birds and other animals, they seem to play. Playing for them could lead to stronger social bonds, and thus a better chance of survival. Playing for the younger ones is also teaching them hunting type skills and developing strength.
I guess it is the same for us though. We dont really play tennis just for the sake of it, either we have goals (Fitness etc.), or we do it for pleasure, which I guess promotes our well-being.
How do you know what is play from mere external observations?
What we call play may have no meaning to non humans. For us play, like tennis, is apparently for no useful purpose. It is anything involving a contest, which itself is an abstract thing not discernible from observable behaviour, be it of strength, speed, skills or wit. And we enjoy and take delight in it, again a non discernible thing.
When we say animals play what we meant is that we are simply attributing anthromorphic characteristics to animal behaviour. But the real reasons for why they do what they do, eg perhaps a working out of their fledging instincts, honing them for adult application, may be unknowable to humans at all. We can only hypothesize taking ourselves as a reference, rightly or wrongly.
Domestic cats! They have the ultimate in leisure lifestyles.
They may have a lesser range of options because of how much they evolved and feel the need to have, but simplicity is often superior to complexity. Especially when it comes to contentment in simplicity.
What I wouldn’t give to be a cat… 