Data from: Sperm whale dive behavior characteristics derived from intermediate-duration archival tag data ...

• Main Authors: Irvine, Ladd M., Mate, Bruce R., Palacios, Daniel M., Follett, Tomas M.
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Movebank Data Repository 2019
• Subjects: Physeter macrocephalus; animal movement; animal tracking; diving behavior; sperm whale; Sperm whale
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.rj857167; https://www.datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.940

Here, we describe the diving behavior of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using the Advanced Dive Behavior (ADB) tag, which records depth data at 1‐Hz resolution and GPS‐quality locations for over 1 month, before releasing from the whale for recovery. A total of 27 ADB tags were deployed on sperm whales in the central Gulf of California, Mexico, during spring 2007 and 2008, of which 10 were recovered for data download. Tracking durations of all tags ranged from 0 to 34.5 days (median = 2.3 days), and 0.6 to 26.6 days (median = 5.0 days) for recovered tags. Recovered tags recorded a median of 50.8 GPS‐quality locations and 42.6 dives per day. Dive summary metrics were generated for archived dives and were subsequently classified into six categories using hierarchical cluster analysis. A mean of 77% of archived dives per individual were one of four dive categories with median Maximum Dive Depth >290 m (V‐shaped, Mid‐water, Benthic, or Variable), likely associated with foraging. Median Maximum Dive ...