Question

The black‐footed ferret was declared extinct in 1979, but a small population of the animals was found in Wyoming in 1981. Some of the wild ferrets were captured and bred in captivity. The animals bred in captivity were then reintroduced into the wild. Since their reintroduction, the total number of black-footed ferrets in the wild has increased to at least 1000 individuals. Suppose 146 ferrets are found in a population in the first year. In the next year, there are 183 ferrets in the same population. Calculate the growth rate from the first year to the second year. Express the growth rate as a percentage with at least two significant figures.

Answer 1

The growth rate of the black-footed ferret population between the first and second year is calculated to be 25.34%, obtained by using the growth rate formula and substituting the known population counts for each year.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the growth rate from the first year to the second year, we can use the formula:

Growth Rate (%) = ((Final Population - Initial Population) / Initial Population) * 100

Putting the ferret population numbers into the formula, we get:

Growth Rate (%) = ((183 - 146) / 146) * 100

Now, let's do the calculations:

Growth Rate (%) = (37 / 146) * 100

Growth Rate (%) = 0.2534 * 100

Growth Rate (%) = 25.34%

The growth rate of the black-footed ferret population from the first year to the second year is 25.34%, expressed with at least two significant figures.