Please Daniel, everything is possible, so stick to what is happening as best you know. At this time, they are not targeting gravid Blacktrees. They do not ranch(steal eggs) from blacktrees, they simply collect them and sell them. There is no influx of babies, like with savs. You know this, so don't confuse one senario and mix it with another to boster your thoughts, use what is real what is actually happening at these very different areas.



Also, you saw that collecting did not effect savs. Not any number or over many years. It only resulted in one thing, more smaller adults. You see thats what happens by harvesting an area without destroying the habitat. This also appears to be the case with Blacktrees. More individuals that are smaller.



You also know that, if you move away from those feral fields to collect savs, you find far fewer and larger individuals and the females are less productive. This is why the locals harvest only the fields, natural(old static populations) are not profitable.



As a biologist, you must try to understand(learn) what their reproductive abilities are and how they maintain populations. Varanids like some other reptiles(snakes) reproduce at a huge range of size and age. Normally all monitors reproduce at 1/2 their average adult size. In predated or heavily collected populations, the area is filled with these young small females. Its a really good stradgy, it takes far less space and energy for small females to reproduce then large adult females. This repopulates the area quickly.



Consider the opposite, old static populations are where there are few individuals, but they are very large. The reproduction is very low. There is no need to, as the area is filled with large adults(static or old population) Consider, a healthy population is one where there is a range of young and old females recruiting.



Simply put, as long as Blacktrees have mangroves, they will be fine, maybe more individuals and smaller, but they will exsist. Once there habitat is gone, they are gone. Once the collecting stops, the population will dwindle and there will be fewer larger adults,Simple.



Now just for fun, go back and study Rich Shines water python study and the guam studies on the brown tree snake. Both had the highest populations know to science. Now study why? Then ask yourself why other natural populations did not have these numbers?



Any more thoughts, just good conversation, cheers

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