The Wild Sloth Population Survey

Introduction

As part of your research project on wildlife conservation, you perform a survey of the wild sloth population in a remote jungle area. Sloths are fascinating creatures known for their slow movements and unique characteristics. Your goal is to estimate the size of the sloth population in this particular habitat.

Survey Method

You decide to use the mark and recapture technique to estimate the sloth population. In your initial capture, you tag and mark 37 sloths. Two months later, you conduct another capture and find 49 sloths, 11 of which were previously marked.

Final Answer

The estimated size of the sloth population is 165 individuals.

Explanation

The estimated size of the sloth population can be calculated using the mark and recapture technique. In this case, you initially captured and marked 37 sloths, then two months later, you captured 49 sloths, 11 of which were previously marked. To estimate the population size, you can use the formula N = (M × S) / R, where N is the estimated population size, M is the number of individuals marked initially, S is the number of individuals captured in the second sample, and R is the number of marked individuals recaptured.

In this scenario, M = 37, S = 49, and R = 11. Plugging these values into the formula, you get N = (37 × 49) / 11 = 164.54. Rounded to the nearest whole number, the estimated size of the sloth population is 165 individuals.

Questions

1. What survey technique did you use to estimate the sloth population?

2. How many sloths were initially marked in the survey?

3. How many sloths were recaptured in the second sample?

Answers

1. The mark and recapture technique was used to estimate the sloth population.

2. 37 sloths were initially marked in the survey.

3. 11 sloths were recaptured in the second sample.