A young female elk. (Image by Mark Boyce)
A new study suggests female elk wise up to better hiding behaviors with age, in order to keep safe from hunters. Over the period of four years, researchers tracked 49 female elk, ranging between one and 18 years old in BC and Alberta. Using GPS trackers, scientists collected data, such as distance traveled with time, terrain ruggedness, and amount of forest cover. The researchers then created a model of elk behaviors that differed amongst individuals but were constant over time in a given individual, and identified elk that could learn to adjust their behavior with age. Their findings showed that older elk learned to adjust their behaviours over time to be more cautious. For example, older female elk have shown to increase their use of safe grounds—rugged terrain or forest cover—near roads, where it’s easier for hunters to spot them.
Authors:
Henrik Thurfjell , Simone Ciuti, Mark S. Boyce
Corresponding author:
Henrik Thurfjell, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, AB, Email: henrik.thurfjell@slu.se
Original paper published in PLOS One on June 14, 2017.
