Age Determination in the Kangaroo Island Wallaby, Macropus eugenii (Desmarest)

Abstract

The reliability of using growth curves obtained from captive M. eugenii for aging pouch young was assessed. Growth of pouch young in the field was slower in 1978 than in 1977; this may be related to the mother's nutritional state. The timing and sequence of tooth eruption in animals older than 1 y is described, and a curve relating age to molar eruption stage of captive animals is presented; this was useful for aging animals in the field up to 5-6 y old. From skulls of known-age animals that had died in the field a regression relating age to a molar index was obtained for animals up to 14 y old. The technique of examining growth rings in the cementum layer of incisors and molars was investigated, but was not useful for animals over 4 y old.