Whale sightings during POLARSTERN cruise PS87 (ARK-XXVIII/4) ...

• Main Author: Burkhardt, Elke
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2020
• Subjects: Cetacean sightings; WALOG; DATE/TIME; LATITUDE; LONGITUDE; Whale species; Certainty of identification; Individuals; Underway cruise track measurements; Visual observation; PS87; Polarstern; Marine Mammal Perimeter Surveillance from RV Polarstern MAPS; Tromsø
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.924708; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.924708

Data on whale distribution and abundance in the polar oceans is rather sparse, as implementing the standard surveying method, line-transect surveys, is challenging and costly. To overcome this problem, we initiated a program to electronically log all opportunistic cetacean sightings during all Polarstern expeditions through the nautical officer on watch. Opportunistic (visual) sightings by naked eye were logged during Polarstern Cruise PS87 (Tromsø - Bremerhaven) by the nautical officer on duty using a customized Software package (WALOG, WhAleLOGger) installed on a touch screen laptop located on the ship's bridge. Species were identified by naked eye or handheld binoculars (7x50) to the lowest possible taxonomical level and assigned a “certainty” level of identification. The number of animals were counted if possible or estimated for larger groups. Whenever identification to species level was not possible, the next identifiable taxonomical category was assigned. Information on sighting position, date and ... : Date/Time is given in UTC. Certainty of identification: definite if observer clearly identified the species. The number of individuals is binned according to the options given in the data acquisition software: 1, 2, 3, less equal 5, less equal 10, greater than 10, greater than 20. More precise values may exist, due to observer comments. ...