IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Mowat, G.; Boutin, S.; Slough, B.G. | |
| Using placental scar counts to estimate litter size and pregnancy rate in lynx | |
| 1996 Journal of Wildlife Management (60 ): 430-440 | |
We compared post-mortem estimates of litter size and pregnancy rate (Mowat et al. 1996) with those estimated from placental scar counts to test accuracy of the placental scar method. We counted placental scas on uteri taken from lynx (Lynx canadensis) carcasses collected from trappers over 3 years of a hare peak and decline in southwest Yukon. We classified scars into <= 6 categories based on coloration, though we lumped scars into subjective categories called light, medium and dark for analysis. In utero estimates of litter size was equally close to post-partum litter size when light placental scars were included or excluded. However, pregnancy rate was closest to live birthrate wehn all scars were included. We recommend researchers to classify placental scars after Eglund (1970) or Lindstrom (1981) with the addition of a seventh category for scars from previous years. We suggest researchers include all scars to estimate pregnancy rate and litter size, except those from previous years. This will increase precision and comparability among studies. |
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