Figure 4.

Effect of claw processing on the progesterone concentrations from claw bands of three adult ringed seals. Paired claws from each individual seal were processed using two methods. The bands of one claw were processed using the ‘Grind only’ method (n = 51) and bands from a second claw were processed using the ‘Grind+Mill’ method (n = 51). Progesterone concentrations were significantly higher when the mill pulverization step was added. Boxplots encompass the 25% and 75% quartiles, and the median is depicted by a line in the middle of the gray box. Whiskers extend to the 10th and 90th percentiles, and values beyond that (outliers) are shown as individual points.