A Review of the Use of Conditional Likelihood in Capture-Recapture Experiments

We present a modern perspective of the conditional likelihood approach to the analysis of capture-recapture experiments, which shows the conditional likelihood to be a member of generalized linear model (GLM). Hence, there is the potential to apply the full range of GLM methodologies. To put this method in context, we first review some approaches to capture-recapture experiments with heterogeneous capture probabilities in closed populations, covering parametric and non-parametric mixture models and the use of covariates. We then review in more detail the analysis of capture-recapture experiments when the capture probabilities depend on a covariate.