APRIL 1983A Multinomial Model for Estimating the Size of a Migrating l\'hale Population

• Main Authors: Judith E. Zeh, Daijin Ko, Bruce D. Krogman, Ronald Sonntag
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Hale
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.143.34; http://www.stat.washington.edu/research/reports/1983/tr033.pdf

estimating the number of trials of a multinomial distribution to the estimation of the size of the western Arctic stock of bowhead whales. Cell totals used in the estimate are from a whale census conducted during spring migration. The population size is modeled as the sum of the number of trials of several independent multinomial distributions each of which represents a particular visibility condition occurring during the census. The problem of incomplete observation of totals within particular cells as well as the problem of unobserved cells is dealt with. A confidence interval estimate of population size is derived. Suggestions are presented for future research to strengthen the data base for estimating trends in the whale population.- 2-1.