For example, during an anti-poaching patrol into a protected area certain recce data could be collected to permit trends in human activities or animal numbers to be monitored over time. If such data are collected routinely on missions it will give you a means to assess your effectiveness and to identify priority areas for future anti-poaching action. Once incorporated into the routine, data collection will not slow your team down significantly, and any slight delays are far outweighed by the gains. The results generated by recces will be indices of abundance and geographical distribution of mammal species and human activities, and information on distribution of vegetation types. However, recent studies in several sites have shown that, at least for elephant dung and gorilla nests, there is a good correlation between data collected during recce walks and line-transect data collected in the same area.
Researchers require the same degree of training and knowledge.
Efficiency of data collection will vary with speed of travel and state of mind. If short of food, with a long way to go, after an arduous survey, you will miss sign you would otherwise detect. Keep a careful note of the circumstances and note time at each 1 km covered. If you have two trained assistants one should walk close to a local guide who opens up a passage. This first assistant should ensure that the guide remains on the correct approximate bearing and should check for terrestrial signs of animal presence.