Metadata details
AAS_4102_all_photo_ID_images_2015
All scientific data collected by the Australian Antarctic program (AAp) are eventually described in the Catalogue of Australian Antarctic and Subantarctic Metadata (CAASM). CAASM can be used to search through AAp data descriptions, and it also provides links to access publicly available datasets, which can either be immediately downloaded or obtained from the Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AADC).
- Citation
- Double, M., Olson, P.A. and Andrews-Goff, V. (2017) All identification photos taken of whales during the NZ-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage to the Ross Sea 2015, Ver. 1, Australian Antarctic Data Centre - doi:10.4225/15/59d43810ce55a, Accessed: 2026-05-02
- Title
- All identification photos taken of whales during the NZ-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage to the Ross Sea 2015
- Data Centre
- Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia
- DOI
- doi:10.4225/15/59d43810ce55a
- Created Date
- 2017-09-22
- Revision Date
- 2025-11-24
- Parent record
- AAS_4102_2015_New_Zealand_Australia_Antarctic_Ecosystems_Voyage
Datasets and documents
Related links
Description
All photos taken during the NZ-Australia Antarctic Ecosystems Voyage on the RV Tangaroa to the Ross Sea 2015 in an attempt to get a best photo identification image of blue whales, killer whales, humpback whales and minke whales. Image collection location and other details such as photographer, species, date (UTC) can be found in excel spreadsheet. A scan of all photo ID data forms is also included and contains further detail on each photographic event.
Photo-identification images of whales are collected using digital SLR cameras. Individual blue whales are identifiable from unique patterns of mottled pigment on both sides of the body, and also from variations in dorsal fin shape and any permanent scars that may be present. Blue whales will be photographed at an angle perpendicular to the whale, capturing the pigmentation in the area of the dorsal fin. Individual humpback whales are identifiable from photographs of the ventral flukes or the dorsal fin (perpendicular angle) if the whale does not fluke up.
Purpose
Individual identification allows the production of sightings histories required for a mark-recapture approach to estimating abundance. These data will also provide information on whale population structure and movement.
Access
These data are publicly available for download from the provided URL.
Temporal Coverages
- Start date: 2015-01-29 - Stop date: 2015-03-11
Spatial Coverages
Science Keywords
- EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MAMMALS > CETACEANS
- EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > MAMMALS > CETACEANS
- EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS > FOOD-WEB DYNAMICS
- EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > ANIMAL SCIENCE > ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
Additional Keywords
- BLUE WHALE
- ANTARCTIC BLUE WHALE
- MARK RECAPTURE
- HUMPBACK WHALE
- KILLER WHALE
- PHOTO IDENTIFICATION
- MINKE WHALE
- IWC SORP
Locations
- GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR
- CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA
- OCEAN > SOUTHERN OCEAN
Platforms
- SHIPS
- R/V TANGAROA
Instruments
- CAMERAS
Researchers
- double, mike (INVESTIGATOR)
- olson, paula (INVESTIGATOR,TECHNICAL CONTACT)
- andrews-goff, virginia (INVESTIGATOR,TECHNICAL CONTACT,DIF AUTHOR)
Use Constraints
Please contact Paula Olson (paula.olson@noaa.gov) if you intend to use these photos to develop a scientific publication or intend to use these images in any other way. These images are also contained in the Southern Hemisphere Blue Whale Catalogue (http://bluewhalecatalogue.org).
This dataset has been collected under the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) Southern Ocean Research Partnership (SORP). The IWC-SORP ethos is one of open collaboration, communication and data sharing. The Data User will acknowledge the use of the IWC SORP dataset by the following statement:
Data provided by the International Whaling Commission’s Southern Ocean Research Partnership were all based upon non-lethal samples collected under a protocol approved by the Australian Antarctic Program Animal Ethics Committee (AAPAEC). These data were provided by the Partnership for the purpose of collaborative investigation.
This data set conforms to the CCBY Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference provided at http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=AAS_4102_all_photo_ID_images_2015 when using these data.
