Short term behavioural and physiological response of moose Alces alces to military disturbance in Norway

Abstract

The response of moose Alces alces to military disturbance in a multi-use landscape was studied. Four individual free-ranging moose, fitted with heart-rate transmitters, were subjected to specific stimuli in controlled disturbance trials, and 12 radio-collared moose were followed for 3-week-long periods, before, during, and after large-scale military manoeuvres. In the disturbance trials the moose showed much shorter flush distances (the distance from the disturber at which flight began) and normal heart rate returned sooner after being disturbed by mechanical stimuli than after human stimuli. There was no significant difference in flight distance or maximum heart rate for these two categories of disturbance. There was a significant, inverse relationship between flushing distance and both flight distance and the time required for heart rate to return to normal. During manoeuvres the home range size increased, but only one moose within the disturbed area made a significant home range shift. We hypothesised that the greater fear of humans than of vehicles is due to the strict ban on hunting from vehicles, and to the familiarity with unthreatening, all-terrain, timber-cutting vehicles. We concluded that military activity of the type studied here is not especially detrimental to moose, and that the effects of their activity should not differ from comparable civilian harassment.