Proceedings of the New Zealand Ecological Society (1977) 24: 48- 56

Determination of the plane of nutrition of chamois.

Research Article
R. E. Lambert 1,2
J. L. Bathgate 1,3
  1. Protection Forestry Division, FRI, Christchurch
  2. Present address: Taranaki Museum, New Plymouth
  3. Present address: School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Christchurch
Abstract: 

Autopsy data was collected from three chamois (Rupicapra Rupicapra) populations to investigate the use of various measurements for determining mean planes of nutrition. Significant differences in measurements of horn length for each age class between populations were found, indicating that horn length analysis could be used to give some index of population condition. Total body length was significantly different for the youngest age classes of each population. These differences become negligible around three years of age. Analysis of the Arawata population by weight indices showed only slight differences between inter-population areas. Similarly, fecundity rates failed to produce significantly different values for the three populations.

Keywords: