Quantitative photogrammetric methodology for measuring mammalian belly score in the painted dog.

ABSTRACT: The use of "belly scoring" can offer a novel, non-invasive objective management tool to gauge food intake between individuals, groups, and populations, and thus, population fitness. As food availability is increasingly affected by predation, ecological competition, climate change, habitat modification, and other human activities, an accurate belly scoring tool can facilitate comparisons among wildlife populations, serving as an early warning indicator of threats to wildlife population health and potential population collapse. In social species, belly scores can also be a tool to understand social behavior and ranking. We developed and applied the first rigorous quantitative photogrammetric methodology to measure belly scores of wild painted dogs (Lycaon pictus). Our methodology involves: (

SUBMITTER: Rasmussen G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8670687 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature