The frontend program, snout, for the population dynamics model, hogpop

Wildlife scientists are increasingly faced with difficult management decisions as the amount of wild areas decreases and thereby the sensitivity of populations increases. Computer simulation models of wildlife population dynamics offers the manager a tool through which to test theories until a satisfactory level of confidence is reached and the management scheme implemented with the real population. The HOGPOP program, developed by Steven Sheriff, is such a tool; however, its complex method of data input is intimidating to the wildlife scientist and reduces its usability. The purpose of this project was to develop a user-friendly frontend input program that would appeal to the user and ultimately help wildlife managers by providing them a usable HOGPOP program.

SNOUT is a frontend program that collects data to provide to the HOGPOP program. SNOUT allows the user to enter data via a terminal in an unformatted way in response to English prompts. SNOUT has intelligence to prompt only for the data require based on parameters chosen by the user. Additionally, SNOUT offers the options of creating a data file in multiple sessions and to modify an existing data file. Keeping in mind that a major benefit of a computer model is the ability to modify data and notice a trend in output due to these changes, it becomes obvious that the modification feature of SNOUT is significant.

SNOUT is a useful tool when running HOGPOP (also known as LIONPOP), a model for mountain lion or hog populations. SNOUT is also an example of the move toward user-friendliness that is necessary when programs are developed for use by non-computer personnel.

A by-product of this project was the detection and documentation of several errors in the original HOGPOP program.