Stepanova V.V., Argunov A.V., Kirillin R.A., Okhlopkov I.M. 2017. Time-study of moose (Alces alces L., 1758) geophagia activity in the Central Yakutia // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2: 185–190 [in English].

Valentina V. Stepanova [valstep@yandex.ru], Institute of Cryolithic Zone Biological Issues of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory studies of ecosystem Cold Regions, Lenin Avenue 41, Yakutsk 677891, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia;

Alexandr V. Argunov [argal2@yandex.ru], Institute of Cryolithic Zone Biological Issues of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory studies of ecosystem Cold Regions, Lenin Avenue 41, Yakutsk 677891, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia;

Ruslan A. Kirillin [ruslan.kirillin@gmail.com], Institute of Cryolithic Zone Biological Issues of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory studies of ecosystem Cold Regions, Lenin Avenue 41, Yakutsk 677891, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia;

Innokentiy M. Okhlopkov [imokhlopkov@yandex.ru], Institute of Cryolithic Zone Biological Issues of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory studies of ecosystem Cold Regions, Lenin Avenue 41, Yakutsk 677891, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia.

doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.07

ABSTRACT. 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).

KEY WORDS: mineral licks, geophagia, moose, visiting, duration.

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