10.12.10

26th Feb 2013: Epitaph to Okulunu & Unknown pangolin longevity


post to be continued...

For Cape (ground) Pangolins as well as the other pangolin species, estimates of its natural lifespan, and its 'generation length', defined as the ''average age of the parents of the current cohort''  has a big influence on the period over which the estimated pop. decline is calculated for the IUCN Red List assessment of the species' level of threat.


For reference, THE IUCN definition of generation length is as follows:

Generation length is the average age of parents of the current cohort (i.e. newborn individuals in the population). Generation length therefore reflects the turnover rate of breeding individuals in a population. Generation length is greater than the age at first breeding and less than the age of the oldest breeding individual, except in taxa that breed only once. Where generation length varies under threat, the more natural, i.e. pre-disturbance, generation length should be used. 

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