Resumen
Distance is a software used to collect reliable population data. The complex mathematical analysis used in distance sampling allows for the collection of simple data, a practical necessity under harsh field conditions. The mathematics requires the use of a computer on site, so that the biologists themselves can make informed decisions at various stages of analysis about data treatment, model selection, and statistical confidence levels. Many animal populations cannot be surveyed by traditional methods. Distance sampling was specifically designed for these animal populations. The heart of the technique is to establish randomly drawn straight-line transects in the area to be surveyed and then to walk them number of times, recording not just the number of target animals seen but also their perpendicular distance from the transect line. If the transects are truly random with respect to topography and habitat, the assumption is they are also random with regard to animal densities.