From misunderstanding to moose-understanding: Short-term behavioural variation assessed through trait rating in a small group of captive moose

Moose have been severely overlooked in personality studies, despite being highly relevant in Northern countries both in the wild and in captivity. In this paper, we combined observation and questionnaire rating to score short-term behavioural variation in a small group of captive moose. Our results support the existence of at least one behavioural variation axis (Assertiveness/Sociability), encompassing behavioural traits related to dominance and sociability toward conspecifics, as well as tolerance for human interaction. While small in size, this study is an important starting point for decoding personality in captive moose, a particularly relevant aspect given the growing interest in wildlife-based tourism.