[Comparison of two methods of age determination in teeth of known age from wild carnivores]

Two age-determining methods were conducted on representatives of known age from the Order Carnivora (4 red foxes, 3 tree martens, 3 stone martens, 2 racoons, 2 badgers, 2 polecat and one otter). Age determination employed with the aid of tooth wear nearly agrees with the real age of the animals. Dating based on the formation of the age-dependent cement zone coincided well with the known ages of the individual specimens. However, in real foxes the figure one must be added to the number of cementum layers counted determining the definitive age of individuals. For representation of the cementum layers transverse sections of the apical part of the tooth root of canini, P2 and P3, stained with methylene blue, should be used. It is important to note that the dentino-cemental line should not be considered when counting the year rings in the cement.