Female moaning spurs fight between male moose

Female moose may be able to manipulate male lovers - promoting fights between male competitors by groans.

It was known that women are "cry of protest" in response to courtship.

Researchers have now discovered that women complain more when they approach less than men and that this aggression is triggered by several males.

Scientists believe that women have more control over the choice of partner than previously thought.

A team led by Dr. Terry Bowyer of Idaho State University in the United States conducted the study in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

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MOOSE FACTS

Bull Moose in Alaska

They are the largest members of the deer family

There are about 900,000 deer in North America

Their food consists mainly of woody stemmed plants

Watch videos moose

Their findings are published in the journal of behavioral ecology and sociobiology.

The species Alces alces is called elk in Europe, but it is known as a moose in the United States.

The animals are polygamous, which means that a male mates with several females, but female and each has a male partner.

Breeding occurs during the rut in autumn, when males compete for females. This often results in tough games.

Previous research has shown that during courtship, female moose moan of protest when they are approached by men.

Observing moose during mating season, scientists have discovered a level of complexity to the communication of women.

"Moose, female gave groans of protest more often in response to the court by smaller males, despite the large males engaged in more than seduction," said Dr Bowyer.

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"Start date

This problem ... causing clashes between great men "

Dr. Terry Bowyer Idaho State University, USA

Moose The expert who has studied the animals in this region since the mid-1980s realized that the females were groans twofold.

"The problem with females helped them to avoid the persecution of young men, but also led to fights between big men," he explained.

"Male aggression was more common when women were protesting against groans when they did not, indicating that this vocalization induced male-male aggression."

Dr Bowyer was also suggested that female moose targeted to cause fights between men as a means to choose their partner.

"Protest groans can exercise a degree of female choice in a mating system where people restrict [the] selection through male-male combat," he told the BBC.

Options for women, he said, may have been underestimated, as is "hidden" male-male combat.

Dr Bowyer said: "We believe that the selection of women is a fundamental part of the more polygynous mating systems in mammals than previously thought."