An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus
Different age determination methods were compared to find a practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus. The age of the hares was determined using: 1) the ossification stage of the radius and ulna, and 2) the dry weight of the eye lens. The ossification s...
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crwiley:10.2981/wlb.2001.028 2024-09-15T18:17:47+00:00 An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus Kauhala, Kaarina Soveri, Timo Academy of Finland 2001 http://dx.doi.org/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Wildlife Biology volume 7, issue 4, page 295-300 ISSN 1903-220X 1903-220X journal-article 2001 crwiley https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 2024-07-30T04:22:40Z Different age determination methods were compared to find a practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus. The age of the hares was determined using: 1) the ossification stage of the radius and ulna, and 2) the dry weight of the eye lens. The ossification stage of the bones was examined with the unaided eye and palpation, and by using radiography. The proportion of young was higher when the bones were examined using radiography rather than the unaided eye, except in early autumn when the two methods led to the same results. Age determination based on bone examination using the unaided eye gave more reliable results than age determination based on radiography; this became evident when the results were compared with the reproductive status of females or with the dry weight of the eye lens. Using an eye lens weight of 0.25 g as a discriminating value between young and adult hares, gave an age determination similar to that derived from bone examinations using the unaided eye in 90% of the cases. Age determination based on examination of the radius and ulna using the unaided eye and palpation, together with the eye lens weight thus forms a reliable and practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares, and radiography is only necessary when examining live animals. Article in Journal/Newspaper Lepus timidus Wiley Online Library Wildlife Biology 7 4 295 300 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Different age determination methods were compared to find a practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus. The age of the hares was determined using: 1) the ossification stage of the radius and ulna, and 2) the dry weight of the eye lens. The ossification stage of the bones was examined with the unaided eye and palpation, and by using radiography. The proportion of young was higher when the bones were examined using radiography rather than the unaided eye, except in early autumn when the two methods led to the same results. Age determination based on bone examination using the unaided eye gave more reliable results than age determination based on radiography; this became evident when the results were compared with the reproductive status of females or with the dry weight of the eye lens. Using an eye lens weight of 0.25 g as a discriminating value between young and adult hares, gave an age determination similar to that derived from bone examinations using the unaided eye in 90% of the cases. Age determination based on examination of the radius and ulna using the unaided eye and palpation, together with the eye lens weight thus forms a reliable and practical method for distinguishing between young and adult mountain hares, and radiography is only necessary when examining live animals. |
author2 |
Academy of Finland |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kauhala, Kaarina Soveri, Timo |
spellingShingle |
Kauhala, Kaarina Soveri, Timo An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
author_facet |
Kauhala, Kaarina Soveri, Timo |
author_sort |
Kauhala, Kaarina |
title |
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
title_short |
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
title_full |
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
title_fullStr |
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
title_full_unstemmed |
An evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares Lepus timidus |
title_sort |
evaluation of methods for distinguishing between juvenile and adult mountain hares lepus timidus |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 |
genre |
Lepus timidus |
genre_facet |
Lepus timidus |
op_source |
Wildlife Biology volume 7, issue 4, page 295-300 ISSN 1903-220X 1903-220X |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.2001.028 |
container_title |
Wildlife Biology |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
295 |
op_container_end_page |
300 |
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1810455877499486208 |