Time-study of moose (<i>Alces alces </i>L., 1758) geophagia activity in the Central Yakutia

Stepanova, V.V.; Argunov, A.V.; Kirillin, R.A.; Okhlopkov, I.M.

Russian Journal of Theriology. Main page

Time-study of moose (Alces alces L., 1758) geophagia activity in the Central Yakutia
Stepanova V.V., Argunov A.V., Kirillin R.A., Okhlopkov I.M.
P. 185-190
Geophagia of wild hoofed mammals was recorded using camera-traps in five mineral licks of the Central Yakutia (Russia). In total, 235 camera-trap-days are spent, breakdown by months: June — 34, July — 60, August — 65, September — 60, October — 16. Over this period, we registered 122 visits of moose. Presence of 215 moose on the mineral licks is documented, among them — 24 visits of females with calves. The average geophagia of moose (M±SD) is 8.7±7.8 min (lim 1–40; n=125). The average number of visits per day is 3.1 (lim 1–8; n=54). The maximum number of moose staying on a mineral lick at the same time amounted to 4 animals. The maximum number of moose visited a licks per day amounted to 6 animals (apart from repeated visits). Monthly visiting of licks is as follows: June — 43.3%, July — 49.2%, August — 5.8%, September — 1.7%, and October — 0%. The sex ratio of using the salt mineral licks was as follows: bulls 47.6% (n=10), cows — 52.4% (n=11).

DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.07

References

Argunov A.V. & Stepanova V.V. 2011. [The structure of the diet of the Siberian roe deer in Yakutia] // Ekologiya. No.2. P.144–147 [in Russian, with English summary].

Argunov A.V., Krivoschapkin A.A. & Boeskorov G.G. 2015. [Roe deer of Central Yakutia]. Novosibirsk: Izdatel’stvo SO RAN. 123 p. [In Russian]

Ayotte J.B., Parker K.L. & Gillingham M.P. 2008. Use of natural licks by four species of ungulates in Northern British Columbia // Journal of Mammalogy. Vol.89. No.4. P.1041–1050.

Ayotte J.B., Parker K.L., Arocena J.M. & Gillingham M.P. 2006. Chemical composition of lick soils: functions of soil ingestion by four ungulate species // Journal of Mammalogy. Vol.87. No.5. P.878–888.

Bgatov V.I. 1993a. [Approaches to ecology]. Novosibirsk: Izdatel’stvo Novosibirskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. 221 p. [In Russian]

Bgatov V.I. 1993b. [Approaches to ecogeology. Life and geological environment]. Novosibirsk: Izdatel’stvo Novosibirskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. 22 p. [In Russian]

Bgatov V.I. 1997. [Approaches to the study of geophagia] // Prirodnye mineraly na sluzhbe cheloveka. Cbornik tezisov mezhdunarodnoy nauchno-prakticheskoy konferentsii. Novosibirsk. P.2–10 [in Russian].

Bgatov V.I. 2000. [Area of mineral nutrition of biota — one of the main objects of study of environmental geology] // Ekologicheskaya geologia i ratsional’noe prirodopolzovanie. Materialy mezhvedomstvennoy konferentsii. Sankt-Peterburg. P.15–16 [in Russian].

Carbyn L.N. 1975. Factors influencing activity patterns of ungulates at mineral licks // Canadian Journal of Zoology. Vol.53. P.378–384.

Couturier S. & Barrette C. 1988. [The behavior of moose at natural mineral springs in Quebec] // Canadian Journal of Zoology. Vol.66. P.522–528.

Dravert P.L. 1922. [On geophagia] // Sibirskaya Priroda. No.1. P.3–6 [in Russian].

Filus I.A. 2002. Moose behavior at salt licks // Alces. Suppl.2. P.49–51.

Fraser D. & Hristienko H. 1981. Activity of moose and white-tailed deer at mineral springs // Canadian Journal of Zoology. Vol.59. P.1991–2000.

Fraser D.E., Reardon F.D. & Loescher B. 1980. Sampling problems and interpretation of chemical analysis of mineral springs used by wildlife // Journal of Wildlife Management. No.44. P.623–631.

Hebert D. & Cowan I.M. 1971. Natural salt licks as part of the ecology of the mountain goat // Canadian Journal of Zoology. Vol.49. P.605–610.

Heikillд R. & Hдrkцnen S. 1998. The effects of salt stones on moose browsing in managed forests in Finland // Alces. No.34. P.435–444.

Kaplanov L.G. 1948. [Tiger. Wapiti. Moose] // Materialy k poznanyu fauny i flory SSSR, izdavaemye MOIP. Novaya Seria. Otdel Zool. No.14. Moscow: Izdatel’stvo MOIP. 128 p. [In Russian]

Lavelle M.J., Phillips G.E., Fischer J.W., Burke P.W., Seward N.W., Stahl R.S., Nichols T.A., Wunder B.A. & VerCauteren K.C. 2014. Mineral licks: motivational factors for visitation and accompanying disease risk at communal use sites of elk and deer // Environmental Geochemistry and Health. Vol.36. No.6. P.1049–1061.

Murie A. 1934. The moose of Isle Royale // Michigan: University of Michigan Press; Museum of Zoology. Miscellaneous Publications. No.25. P.1–66.

Nasimovich A.A. 1938. [To the knowledge of the mineral nutrition of wild animals of the Caucasus Nature Reserve] // Trudy Kavkazskogo Zapovednika. No.1. P.49–54 [in Russian].

Panichev A.M. 1987a. [Mineral licks] // Okhota i Okhotniche Khozaystvo. No.6. P.14 [in Russian].

Panichev A.M. 1987b. [Mineral licks of the Sikhote-Alin]. Vladivostok: Izdatel’stvo DVNZ AN SSSR. 206 p. [In Russian]

Panichev A.M. 1990. [Geophagia in the world of animals and humans]. Moscow: Nauka. 224 p. [In Russian]

Panichev A.M. 1998. [Geophagia in animals and humans]. Avtoreferat diss. … doct. biol. nauk. Vladivostok. 59 p. [In Russian]

Panichev A.M. 2017. [Mineral licks as a phenomenon and an indicator of adaptation of animals to the conditions of the mountain taiga of the Sikhote-Alin]. Downloaded 20.02.2017 from http://www.fegi.ru/primorye/animals/panich1.htm [in Russian]

Panichev A.M. & Golokhvast K.S. 2009. [On causes and effects of geophagial instinct] // Uspekhi Nauk o Zhizni. No.1. P.70–81 [in Russian].

Panichev A.M. & Gulkov A.N. 2001. [Natural minerals and cause medicine of the future]. Vladivostok: Izdatel’stvo DVGTU. 210 p. [in Russian]

Rea R.V., Hodder D.P. & Child K.N. 2013. Year-round activity patterns of moose (Alces alces) at a natural mineral lick in North Central British Columbia, Canada // Canadian Wildlife Biology and Management. Vol.2. No.1. P.36–41.

Shaposhnikov F.D. 1953. [About licking mineral licks of wild ungulates in the mountain taiga of the Altai] // Byulleten’ Moskovskogo Obshchestva Ispytatelei Prirody. Vol.58. No.1. P.3–10 [in Russian].

Staaland H., White R.G., Luick L.J. & Holleman D.F. 1980. Dietary influences on sodium and potassium metabolism of reindeer // Canadian Journal of Zoology. No.58. P.1728–1734.

Stepanova V.V. 2003. [Daily activity and nutrition Cervus elaphus (Artiodactyla, Cervidae) in Yakutia] // Zoologicheskii Zhurnal. Vol.82. No.6. P.724–730 [in Russian, with English summary].

Stepanova V.V. & Okhlopkov I.M. 2009. [Ecology of red deer of Yakutia]. Novosibirsk: Nauka. 135 p. [In Russian]

Tankersley N.G. & Gasaway W.S. 1983. [Mineral lick use by moose in Alaska] // Canadian Journal of Zoology. Vol.61. P.2242–2249.

Download PDF