Question

An isolated African canyon community in which cheetahs and leopards consume only impala antelopes is being observed. In a hypothetical scenario, the number of leopards increases in the canyon. Formulate a logical conclusion about the change that is MOST LIKELY to be the first to occur after the leopard population increases

Answer 1

The impala population will decrease.

Answer 2

The population of the impala antelopes will decline rapidly.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cheetahs and leopards are the predators of the impala antelopes. If the population of the predators arises, this means there will be more predators feeding on the prey. As a result, the population of the prey will decline. Hence, in the above scenario, the population of the impala antelopes will decline rapidly as it will have more number of predators. The population of the cheetahs might also start to decline if it does not move on to another source of food.