Report Nr. 2895 Comparison of Bobcat Age Estimates from Annuli in the Cementum of Incisor and Canine Teeth

Past estimates of the ages of bobcats (Lynx rufus) have been made counting cementum annuli in canine teeth. However, a canine tooth is impractical to remove from a live-trapped bobcat, and its absence may significantly reduce the fitness of the animal after release. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using cementum annuli counts from alternate teeth for bobcat age estimates. Attempts to extract both upper and lower tooth rows from bobcat carcasses revealed that lower incisors would be the only teeth readily extracted from anesthetized bobcats. The lower third incisors can be used effectively in situations where canine teeth are impractical to remove.