Authors:
V. V. STEPANOVA, candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher,
D. I. TIRSKIJ, research fellow,
A. V. ARGUNOV, candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher,
I. M. OKHLOPKOV, candidate of biological sciences, acting director,
Institute for biological problems of cryolithozone of SB of RAS (41 Lenina av., 677007, Yakutsk),
State reserve «Olekminsky» (6 Brovina str., 678100, Olekminsk).
Abstract. The article presents the research results of ethological processes in functional and morphological changes in organisms of wild ungulates in the cryogenic conditions of the North, manifested in geophage addiction, revealed distinctive features in geophage ethology of moose in South Yakutia. Registration of geophagia moose through camera traps, carried out on the natural salt lick «Sordonnooh» in South Yakutia. Salt lick morphologically refers to the mixed type of saline (meadow-steppe), which are formed on the 1st and 2nd floodplain terraces. In total 94 photo-days were spent. During this period 374 single and group visits to salt lick were registered. Recorded stay on the salt lick 471 moose, including repeat visits to the same individuals. Only 28 individuals were identified by sex and age: 14 males and 14 females. The maximum number of salted moose at the same time reached five individuals. The average duration of moose lithophagy was 12.0 ± 1.1 min. Active animals visit salt lick was at the darkest time of the day: from 24 hours midnight to 4 a. m., and the minimum number of visits are during the daytime from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. Attendance salt lick months higher in June.
Keywords: geophagia, salt lick, moose, South Yakutia, visits, duration, temporal distribution, behavior.
