Behavioral sex differences in muskox calves (1984)

Reinhardt, V.

Abstract

A calf nibbles at the coat of a partner's neck or wither. The latter interrupts this by moving away slightly. .. The animal that was nibbled did not show signs of aggression nor did it retreat. .. Nibbling occurred more often in females. During the shedding period the calves not only nibbled at each other's coat but actually grabbed pieces of loose underwool and did not hesitate to swallow them. This observation suggests that nibbling is perhaps an abnormal behavior, tiggered by the unnatural environment of captivity.