Wild Mouse Population of the Territories

[DavetheLost]

OK a few basic assumptions here.

1. territories are 7 x 8 kilometers.
2. Wild mouse population density is up to 15 mice per acre.

This gives us a total population of 207570 mice or more!

For those who think in square miles the territories are about 21.6 square miles.

I expect that the civilized mice of the territories can actually sustain a higher population density than wild mice.

Although this seems a staggering number of mice, it actually seems proportunate to the human population of my home county of St. Lawrence county, NY. This is a predominantly rural county similar in feel to the territories. With a human population density of 42 per square mile.

Yes, I suppose I do need to get a life. I can't help it though, my dad was a biologist who studied mouse population dynamics

[ThisIsVictor]

I don't suppose you know the average speed of a mouse? One not being chased by an owl, that is. Or what the normal range of a mouse is? How far does it travel to forage in a day?

Maybe I need a life too . . .

--Victor

[WildCountry]

There would be a couple of other factors within than just basic density, though - I can't see the territories having that dense of a population.

For one thing, MG mice don't breed like Earth mice - they seem to have a much more human-like reproduction cycle and weaning, with only one or two children born instead of the litters of a dozen. While slow-breeding would be a one-way ticket to quick extinction for our mice, in the MG world they have human-level intelligence and technology to stave off natural selection.

Mouse towns are suggested to have only about 20-40 families or so, and the cities climbing probably to some 100-200 families.

I'd honestly put the territory Mouse population closer to 70,000 for the entirety.

[illern]

You might find interesting information in this thread (although respawning of old threads is frowned upon here so continue discussing here):
Another thread on polulation, cities, towns and villages and other population related questions (http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/showthread.php?8374-Mice-population)

[Valannor]

Yes, I suppose I do need to get a life.



Maybe I need a life too . . .

--Victor

WTF?

We're all geeks, here, man! We live for this stuff :D

Embrace your geekness and set yourselves free! :D