No number of letters given so it could be anything
I did have population
New shoots is always a bit odd
theme is collective nouns - animals vegetable or minerals and then etc which of course mean anything
Most of them have been animals
so then I get confused is it just population cos it answers the clue or does there have to be a population of something.
I have Nation for people of a country. I've also put Colony for the Prisoners made it this. I haven't yet been able to get into the mind of the New Shoots compiler but I'll carry on trying!! You've got to admit it's different!!!!!
It will be interesting to see what they want in the end
They are usually groan worthy clues but this one seemed to have too wide a choice for the theme