I do believe so and agree with the researchers that ball rolling by bees fulfills the criteria of animal play that are applied to other animals—it's voluntary, spontaneous, and inherently rewarding.

While there are many records of wild animals playing with balls, retrieving one and returning it to a human is different. This behavior is taught and does not occur naturally.

A delightful video of an elephant playfully rolling around with a giant ball has captured hearts online. The clip shows the elephant lying on the grass while curling its trunk around the ball, nudging ...

Aug. 24, 2025 ...

David Toomey's "Kingdom of Play" is a careful review where we meet bowing dogs, belly-flopping monkeys, mud-sliding elephants, dive-bombing crows, and other fun-loving creatures.