Age determination of eland Taurotragus oryx (Pallas, 1766) in the Natal Highveld

Abstract

Techniques for the age determination of highveld eland in Natal were investigated. Tooth eruption and replacement sequence, and growth in horn length, were suitable criteria for the age determination of young eland with deciduous dentition. The most accurate technique for the age determination of post mortem adult eland was based on counts of cementum annuli from molar teeth. Animals without distinctive cementum annuli may be assigned ages from measurements of M₃ crown height. The ages of live restrained eland could be derived from measurements of I₁ occlusal width or I₁, crown height. Horn morphology was adequate for age and sex classification of free-ranging eland up to adult status.