When: Friday, February 27th 2:00-4:00 PM
Where: Castle Room
Workshop Description:
Join the team from Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Wildlife Analytics Lab (WAL) for a hands-on workshop designed to build practical skills in wildlife age estimation—from the field to the laboratory. Now in its third year at ACTWS, this session offers an engaging blend of field-ready techniques and professional lab methods used across Canada.
Participants will learn to:
1. Estimate age using tooth wear and replacement (TWR)—a rapid, field-based technique widely used by biologists and hunters to gather coarse age data.
2. Extract teeth safely and effectively for cementum analysis, using the tools and approaches applied in professional wildlife programs.
3. Interpret cementum annuli through guided microscope work using prepared slides brought from the WAL.
4. Understand the full workflow linking field sampling, tooth preparation, and analytical interpretation.
Ideal for researchers, managers, consultants, students, and anyone who works with age data, this workshop provides the rare opportunity to train directly with a technical team who analyze thousands of wildlife teeth every year across 17 species and counting.
Come experience how cementum analysis enhances accuracy beyond traditional field methods— and how age data contribute to population monitoring, harvest management, and broader wildlife research.
$30.00
14 in stock
“Rooted in Wisdom: Deer Aging Techniques”
Embark on a journey of precision and insight with the Lethbridge College Wildlife Analytics Lab (WAL) at the ACTWS Conference in Jasper! Join our workshop, ‘Rooted in Wisdom: Deer Aging Techniques‘, to explore the secrets hidden within wildlife teeth. Explore both the field technique of ‘tooth eruption and wear’ and the laboratory marvel of ‘cementum analysis’ – both dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of ungulate ages. Delve into the heart of these techniques, comparing their accuracy and precision, with a revelation of the superior accuracy of cementum analysis. Learn the art of tooth extraction and witness the seamless process of submitting your own wildlife teeth to the WAL for aging through cementum analysis. Elevate your understanding of deer populations and contribute to the advancement of wildlife knowledge and bolster your resume with applied experience. Participants will gain hands-on familiarity with the field technique of jaw aging, and the lab process of tooth extraction, inspection, preparation, and cementum analysis. Join us in Jasper for a transformative experience at the intersection of field expertise and cutting-edge laboratory analysis!
Facilitated by the Wildlife Analytics Lab, Lethbridge College
Cost: $15
Professional refers to someone who works with wildlife and/or their habitats in a professional setting.
In this context, it is not in reference to a legal professional designation.
