Animal Licks

Mountain goats risk their lives for a mouthful of dirt. Every May the goats leave the safety of the Mount Wardle, British Columbia, cliffs and travel down trough the trees to the highway. They risk being killed by predators or even a car in order to reach the clay banks. It is not completely certain what attracts the goats to this area, perhaps the area is a place used for social gatherings. The most likely explanation for the use of the “Lick” is a mineral deficient diet.

A number of years ago to determine what minerals the goats lacked we set up a soil ‘Cafeteria”. This allowed the animals to choose from a large variety of mineral- impregnated soils. The test showed that calcium and copper were the most sought after minerals. The females and kids were likely attracted to the calcium since this mineral is needed for milk production and bone growth. The need for cooper may be related to the growth of new hair after shedding their winter coats.

Goats aren’t the only animals to eat dirt. In the spring and early summer, Bighorn Sheep lick the clay banks around Radium Hot Springs,BC. Elk, Mule Deer and sometimes Moose can be seen in the early mornings and evenings at a lick near the Simpson River, in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia

For more info http://webcat2.library.ubc.ca/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=1988003
Also message me and I'll email you report "Absorption and Excretion by Mountain Goats of Minerals Found in Natural Licks" by Wayne McCrory, 1967

Posted on 17 de dezembro de 2019, 07:18 PM by larryhalverson