A population survey of this population of black-footed ferrets in the same year you identified in the previous question found ~1300 individuals in the wild instead of your estimate of over 2000.
1. What can you conclude happened to this population since 2010 based on a comparison of your population size estimate for this year in the previous question and the observed number?
Select one:
a. The birth rate declined from 0.4 to 0.3 after 2010.
b. The population growth rate declined since 2010.
c. More individuals died per year than before 2010.
d. The death rate of individuals increased from 0.2 to 0.3 after 2010.
e. The number of offspring per female declined from 3 to 1 after 2010.

c. More individuals died per year than before 2010.

Explanation:

The reason is very simple. The black footed ferret specie preys specifically on prairie dogs and it was considered there best primary prey for black-footed ferrets in the environment. But then the unexpected thing happen, the prairie dog species contracted a highly lethal sylvatic plague that is caused by a bacteria that effect these species. As a result of the plague the number of preys begin to decrease year by year and as a result there was noticed a gradual decline in the population of black-footed ferrets because more individuals died per year than before 2010.

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