Use of Natural Licks by Four Species of Ungulates in Northern British Columbia

Abstract

Use of licks influences the movements and distribution of ungulates. We recorded attendance patterns, duration of visits to licks, and time spent licking by 4 ungulate species at wet and dry licks to examine possible influences on the timing of use of licks in northern British Columbia, Canada. Within-species licking intensity (based on regressions between time spent licking per visit and duration of visits to licks) was higher for elk (Cervus elaphus) than for moose (Alces alces) at wet licks, and higher for mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) than for Stone's sheep (Ovis dalli stonei) at dry licks. Lick response variables (duration of visits to licks, time spent licking per visit, and proportion of time spent licking) did not vary significantly among early, mid-, and late summer seasons, but there were species-specific differences in the timing of highest attendance. High use of wet licks by both female and male elk in late May followed vegetation greening at low elevations. Average attendance by female elk was highest in late June, coinciding with high lactation demands. Attendance by moose at wet licks was highest in mid-July, potentially coinciding with other aspects of forage phenology such as increased plant defensive compounds. Attendance by Stone's sheep and mountain goats at dry licks was high in early July, following forage change at high elevations and again in early August, potentially related to the tradeoff between lactation demands and predation risk. Across species, consumption of lick soils allows ungulates to improve rumen function and nutrient absorption during the transition to spring and summer forage and to supplement elemental intake by females during the nutritional stress associated with lactation.

Temporal Partitioning by Animals Visiting Salt Licks

“…[4], [14], [18]). Recently developed camera traps are capable to record in video formats and can operate continuously for up to 6-months, which enabled recordings of animal activities over a very long period.…”

“…In a predator-prey relationship, spatial overlaps may be important in predicting encounter probabilities [2]. Studies have documented the use of salt licks by a wide range of species guild, such as carnivores, herbivores-frugivores, insectivores and omnivores and ungulates [3], [4]. A salt lick in general, refers to a mineral rich site which is frequently and actively visited by animal for the purpose of consuming minerals deposited there, through licking or geophagy [3]- [5].…”

“…This enable optimal use of the resource and to minimize overlaps with other species, especially between prey and predator. Camera traps have been used extensively to document activity patterns of wildlife [4], [10], [11].…”

Sexual difference in seasonal patterns of salt lick use by south China sika deer Cervus nippon

“…Many studies have noted that the primary role of licks is the provision of sodium (Weeks and Kirkpatrick 1976;Fraser and Reardon 1980;Moe 1993;Rick et al 2003;Ayotte et al 2008). Since 20th century, both managers and researchers have begun to establish artificial mineral or salt licks in areas where natural licks are absent or uncommon and this has been proved very helpful for herbivores to overcome the Na deficiency (Schultz and Johnson 1992).…”

“…Atwood and Weeks (2002) explored the sex and age pattern of mineral lick uses of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) and found that females came to licks very often during lactation and males visited licks consistently over the study period. Ayotte et al (2008) compared lick use differences between two sexes of moose (Alces alces) and wapiti (Cervus canadensis) and found that attendance by female wapiti coincided with lactation demand while no clear differences in patterns of licking activity existed between the two sexes of moose.…”