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Published 9 May 2026
© 2026 Wildlife Ecology Institute
https://doi.org/10.59438/NJJI2671
INTRODUCTION
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Sex identification and age estimation (e.g., age in years, age class) are among the most basic data to collect on wildlife species, including furbearers, and have been a cornerstone for monitoring populations since the inception of wildlife management. Applications include: 1) sexing and aging of live animals to inform research into demographic parameters (e.g., survival, fecundity) and ecological relationships (e.g., space use, resource selection) that often vary by gender and developmental stage, and 2) knowledge of the sex-age composition of harvest used in conjunction with certain management thresholds or criteria (e.g., proportion of adult females in overall harvest) that potentially affect regulatory decisions. More recently, statistical advancements that utilize harvest data (sex-age and ancillary) now allow for the monitoring of long-term population trends through statistical population reconstruction.
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​Citation:
White, P. A., C. Nistler, and T. L. Hiller. 2026. Sex identification and age estimation of furbearers. Pages 14.1–14.17 in T. L. Hiller, R. D. Applegate, R. D. Bluett, S. N. Frey, E. M. Gese, and J. F. Organ, editors. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. Wildlife Ecology Institute, Helena, Montana, USA. https://doi.org/10.59438/NJJI2671


​Copyright 2026 Wildlife Ecology Institute