I estimated a possum population to be 260.
It was later found that the possums rather enjoyed being trapped because of the tasty food used as bait. Does this mean the population estimate may be too high or too low?
To determine whether the population estimate of 260 possums is too high or too low, we need to consider the behavior of the possums and how it relates to the trapping process.
In this case, if the possums enjoyed being trapped because of the tasty food used as bait, it is likely that more possums than initially estimated were attracted to the traps. This suggests that the population estimate of 260 possums may be too low.
When possums are easily enticed by the bait, they are more likely to be caught in the traps, leading to a higher number of captured possums than anticipated. This indicates that the population could be larger than the estimated 260.
To get a more accurate population estimate, it would be helpful to study the trapping process in more detail. This could involve monitoring the number and frequency of possums caught in the traps over a certain period of time, using statistical methods to extrapolate the population size from the captured sample, or potentially implementing alternative population estimation techniques such as mark and recapture studies.
Keep in mind that population estimation is a complex process and there can be various factors that affect accuracy. Therefore, it is important to employ robust sampling methods and consider multiple sources of information to improve the estimation process.