Counting by Camera: teacher key

Jaguars, grade 9 edition, written for 9th grade. Jaguars hide and roam far, so counting them takes cameras and careful math. See how teams in Belize, Bolivia, Colombia and Brazil tell one jaguar from another by its spots.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. How do scientists tell one jaguar from another in camera-trap photos?
   • By the length of its tail
   • By its spot pattern (answer)
   • By its roar
2. In 2004, how long did a team keep its grid of cameras out?
   • 2 days
   • 2 weeks
   • 2 months (answer)
3. Why did the Colombian researchers place cameras in pairs?
   • To photograph both flanks of each jaguar (answer)
   • To save batteries
   • To scare animals away
4. What does density mean in this book?
   • The number of animals per area (answer)
   • The weight of a jaguar
   • The color of a coat
5. Where has Panthera monitored jaguars since the early 2000s?
   • The Cockscomb Basin of Belize (answer)
   • The Arctic
   • The Sahara

Words

• flanks: body sides
• density: number per area
• statistics: number methods
• Panthera: wild cat group