Estimating abundance of the Key Largo woodrat

Speaker: Joanne Potts (St Andrews)

Abstract

The Key Largo woodrat is an endangered species, restricted to the hardwood hummock on northern Key Largo, Florida. It is typical of many animal populations for which abundance cannot reliably be estimated, but which need to be managed effectively if they are to avoid extinction. Previous methods of estimating abundance have focused on capture-recapture methods using a grid-based, robust design. Instead, we propose trapping point transects as a cost-efficient alternative monitoring method. The methodology and results of the first fieldwork season will be presented, along with many pictures and more snake stories.