Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping
Abstract In a field study on the behavioural response of grey‐sided voles Clethrionomys rufocanus to predator odour ear tattoos were used for individual marking of the voles in the field. The study was conducted over three summer seasons in the tundra of northern Norway. In this paper we report our...
Published in: | Journal of Zoology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902000195 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1017%2FS0952836902000195 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 |
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crwiley:10.1017/s0952836902000195 2024-06-02T08:12:06+00:00 Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping Lindner, Elke Fuelling, Olaf 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902000195 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1017%2FS0952836902000195 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Journal of Zoology volume 256, issue 2, page 159-163 ISSN 0952-8369 1469-7998 journal-article 2002 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902000195 2024-05-03T10:45:32Z Abstract In a field study on the behavioural response of grey‐sided voles Clethrionomys rufocanus to predator odour ear tattoos were used for individual marking of the voles in the field. The study was conducted over three summer seasons in the tundra of northern Norway. In this paper we report our experience with ear‐tattooing in order to compare it with other methods used for marking small mammals. Methods should be compared for their different influences on physiology and behaviour and to find alternatives to the widely used toe‐clipping. Looking for alternatives becomes mandatory because in many countries this method needs a special permit or is totally prohibited by law. Marking a vole with ear‐tattoos took us 2 min on average. The rate for the first recapture after marking voles was 87%. This is much higher than reported recapture rates for toe‐clipped voles. From all recaptured individuals we were able to identify > 89.9% of the codes. The time lag between marking and first recapture was higher than the lag between second and third recapture, which indicates a trauma caused by the marking procedure. However, there was no evidence of any weight loss as reported for other marking methods, and most of the tattooed animals did not show any behaviour indicating irritation after being marked. It is concluded that ear‐tattooing, as an alternative to other methods of marking small mammals is useful even in the field. However, to assess different advantages and disadvantages in other circumstances, the chosen method should be examined critically before use. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Norway Tundra Wiley Online Library Norway Journal of Zoology 256 2 159 163 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
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English |
description |
Abstract In a field study on the behavioural response of grey‐sided voles Clethrionomys rufocanus to predator odour ear tattoos were used for individual marking of the voles in the field. The study was conducted over three summer seasons in the tundra of northern Norway. In this paper we report our experience with ear‐tattooing in order to compare it with other methods used for marking small mammals. Methods should be compared for their different influences on physiology and behaviour and to find alternatives to the widely used toe‐clipping. Looking for alternatives becomes mandatory because in many countries this method needs a special permit or is totally prohibited by law. Marking a vole with ear‐tattoos took us 2 min on average. The rate for the first recapture after marking voles was 87%. This is much higher than reported recapture rates for toe‐clipped voles. From all recaptured individuals we were able to identify > 89.9% of the codes. The time lag between marking and first recapture was higher than the lag between second and third recapture, which indicates a trauma caused by the marking procedure. However, there was no evidence of any weight loss as reported for other marking methods, and most of the tattooed animals did not show any behaviour indicating irritation after being marked. It is concluded that ear‐tattooing, as an alternative to other methods of marking small mammals is useful even in the field. However, to assess different advantages and disadvantages in other circumstances, the chosen method should be examined critically before use. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lindner, Elke Fuelling, Olaf |
spellingShingle |
Lindner, Elke Fuelling, Olaf Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
author_facet |
Lindner, Elke Fuelling, Olaf |
author_sort |
Lindner, Elke |
title |
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
title_short |
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
title_full |
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
title_fullStr |
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
title_full_unstemmed |
Marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
title_sort |
marking methods in small mammals: ear‐tattoo as an alternative to toe‐clipping |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902000195 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1017%2FS0952836902000195 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902000195 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
Northern Norway Tundra |
genre_facet |
Northern Norway Tundra |
op_source |
Journal of Zoology volume 256, issue 2, page 159-163 ISSN 0952-8369 1469-7998 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902000195 |
container_title |
Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
256 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
159 |
op_container_end_page |
163 |
_version_ |
1800758434860105728 |