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Tooth wear, body mass index and management options for edentulous black flying‐foxes ( P teropus alecto G ould) in the T ownsville district, north Q ueensland, A ustralia
Author(s) -
Luly J,
Buettner P,
Parsons J,
Thiriet D,
Gyuris E
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12296
Subject(s) - dentition , body mass index , tooth wear , dentistry , molar , wildlife , zoology , biology , orthodontics , demography , medicine , veterinary medicine , ecology , endocrinology , sociology
Objective We investigated the relationship between a body mass index and tooth wear in the black flying‐fox ( P teropus alecto G ould) to provide guidance on management of edentulous individuals by wildlife carers and veterinarians. Methods Flying‐foxes brought into care because of injury were weighed, their forearms measured and the state of their teeth evaluated. Measurements were analysed by C hi‐square, ANOVA , t‐tests and regression to identify any relationship between the body mass index and the condition of canine and molar teeth, as well as in relation to sex and season. Results There was no statistically significant relationship between a bat's dentition state and the body mass index being used. Conclusions In Townsville, the black flying‐fox appears to experience a rapid decline in dental condition over time. Despite this, there is little indication that loss of teeth results in a decline in body condition. We attribute this to the dominance of floral foods in the bats' diet in Townsville and a lesser importance of hard fruit that requires intact dentition for consumption. Edentulousness on its own is not sufficient reason to euthanase black flying‐foxes in either Townsville or similar relatively dry localities where blossom dominates the flying‐fox diet.