Dental data: What teeth can tell us about how Montana mammals age

When we talk about wildlife data, age is one of the first things biologists look to for
understanding the health of animal populations and how management actions may
affect trends. Age is also often the subject of debate among hunters, who look at
things like body size, antler growth or teeth wear to estimate how many winters a
harvested animal has been on the mountain.

This week, we’re going to do things a little differently and talk about a story Tom Kuglin worked on back in the spring. In March we went down to Manhattan and spent some time at Mattson’s Laboratory. Not only did we learn some new science, but
with hunting season around the corner those heading to the field might be
interested in what the lab has to offer.

This podcast  is created in partnership across five newsrooms – the Billings Gazette, the Helena Independent Record, the Missoulian, the Montana Standard and the Ravalli-Republic. You can support this podcast and our efforts by subscribing. Visit any of these newspapers’ websites, and click on the Become a Member button at the top of the home page. We appreciate your support of local journalism.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Montana Untamed, hosted by Thom Bridge, covers the state's rugged landscape from hook and bullet to policy and science.