Operational sex ratio

Operational sex ratios are a way that scientists measure how many males there are for each female in a given area. It's not just about counting heads, though. Scientists look at how many males and females in that area actually have a chance of reproducing. They might look at how many healthy males there are compared to how many healthy females, or how many adult males compared to how many adult females. The ratio is different in every geographic location, and it's important because it can help scientists understand how animals in that area mate, and how many offspring they might have.