The population of desert tortoises in Targland's Red Desert has declined, partly because they are captured for sale as pets and partly because people riding all-terrain vehicles have damaged their habitat. Targland plans to halt this population decline by blocking the current access routes into the desert and announcing new regulations to allow access only on foot. Targland's officials predict that these measures will be adequate, since it is difficult to collect the tortoises without a vehicle.

Which of the following would it be most important to establish in order to evaluate the officials' prediction?

• AWhether possessing the tortoises as pets remains legally permissible in Targland  
• BWhether Targland is able to enforce the regulations with respect to all-terrain vehicle entry at points other than the current access routes  
• CWhether the Red Desert tortoises are most active during the day or at night  
• DWhether people who travel on foot in the Red Desert often encounter the tortoises  
• EWhether the Targland authorities held public hearings before restricting entry by vehicle into the Red Desert