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