Abstract
Between 1982 and 1984, the ages of 317 foxes killed by hunters in Victoria were estimated by examining
cranial sutures, counting annular cementum layers in teeth and measuring the relative size of the pulp
cavity in canines. No single technique could accurately determine the age class. The results indicated
that at least 54% of all animals were less than 1 year old and 71% were less than 2 years old.
Some 3% of all skulls were either 1 or 2 years old and could not be further classified. Few animals
had survived beyond 4 years (4%) and no animal was older than 7 years. There was no significant
difference in the age structure between years or between sexes, but the different methods of capture
generated significant differences. Night shooting resulted in a very high proportion of first and second
year animals (77%) whereas battues produced significantly fewer animals in this age group (64%).
The age structure figures are broadly similar to figures obtained for fox populations in continental
Europe and the United Kingdom where the intensity of control is low or only moderate. Some
implications of the age structure are discussed.
Subject
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
25 articles.
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