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SURVIVAL CURVES OF MAMMALS IN CAPTIVITY
Author(s) -
COMFORT A.
Publication year - 1957
Publication title -
proceedings of the zoological society of london
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0370-2774
DOI - 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1957.tb00329.x
Subject(s) - captivity , biology , predation , flock , zoology , survival analysis , ecology , mathematics , statistics
SUMMARY1 Life tables and survival curves were constructed for eight species of mammal from data in the records of the Zoological Society of London. 2 Upon arithmetic coordinates, all the survival curves were approximately straight lines over the period of adult life. 3 The survival curves of two species of sheep, and of hybrid wolves, were nearly identical. That of wild goats was similar in form but significantly longer in duration. 4 The data are compared with figures for wild and domestic populations of similar animals. The survival curve of wolves was approximately similar to that of wolfhounds. The maximum longevities of domestic, wild, and zoological garden sheep were similar, but the median age reached by zoological garden sheep was lower, and the early adult mortality higher, than in wild sheep subject to predation. There was no significantly greater loss of lambs in zoological garden sheep compared with agricultural flocks. 5 The relationship between survival curves obtained under these conditions and curves for wild and for fully domestic animals is discussed.