Galli, A., Focardi, S., Iseppi, M.&Piasentier, E. 2008: Age determination in fallow deer Dama dama neonates. - Wildl. Biol. 14: 386-390.
In this article, we evaluate the reliability of a set of easy-to-collect qualitative traits, such as appearance of the umbilical cord, position and behavioural reactions before and after handling, for ageing fallow deer Dama dama neonates. Using correspondence analysis, we found that the studied set of traits can distinguish the age of fawns during the hiding period, which, in this species, lasts only a few days. Ageing criteria are necessary to improve our understanding of mother-infant relationships, which may have important relevance when analysing the population dynamics of this ungulate, typical of Mediterranean habitats in Italy.
Key words: ageing, Dama dama, fallow deer, fawns, hiding
Assuntina Galli, via Semonide di Amorgo 28, I-00124 Roma, Italy - e-mail: susygalli@libero.it
Stefano Focardi, Istituto Nazionale per la Fauna Selvatica, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italy - e-mail: stefano.focardi@infs.it Monica Iseppi & Edi Piasentier, Dipartimento Scienze Animali, Università di Udine, via San Mauro 2, 33010, Pagnacco, Italy - e-mail addresses: monica.iseppi@mac.com (Monica Iseppi); edi.piasentier@uniud.i (Edi Piasentier)