A review of the age determination of mammals by means of teeth, with especial reference to Africa

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Abstract
Summary: A growing requirement exists to determine the ages of the larger African mammals, concomitant with increasing management. Teeth offer the most practicable means of age determination, but no wholly reliable method, based on teeth, has been demonstrated. Tooth structure, growth and function, are considered, and related to methods of age determination. Methods are divided into those separating groups, and those for determining the chronological ages of groups. The various methods used in these two procedures are evaluated. It is pointed out that studies on the most promising method, cementum line counts, have been neglected in Africa, while methods of determining the ages of large carnivores are virtually uninvestigated, and there is a lack of basic studies describing tooth growth and changes for most large African mammals.

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