Age estimation in baboons (Papio cynocephalus) using dental characteristics.

Criteria for estimating the age of baboons using dental characteristics have been developed and tested. These criteria used eruption, wear, and color of the premolars and molars to characterize the ages of baboons in the range of 4--11 years of age. Ages greater than 11 were grouped into a single category. Using the criteria, three judges estimated independently the ages of 49 baboons, of known and unknown ages and of both sexes, with good agreement and precision. The rank order of the estimated ages was similar to the rank order of true ages for colony born animals.