/* DATA DESCRIPTION:
Citation:	Burkhardt, Elke (2026): Whale sightings during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/8 (PS81) [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.992894
Abstract:	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 ANT-XXIX/8 (Cape Town – Cape Town) 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 time are automatically transferred from the ship's DAVIS-Ship System (https://dship.awi.de/) to the WALOG software at the time of logging. Photographs were taken, if possible, for retrospective analysis. All data of acquired sightings were retrospectively validated by a marine biologist and converted to a standard format. To this end, plausibility of sighting time, location, standardization of species names, eventual comments added at the time of sighting, as well as additional information such as photographs (if available) were checked either to verify or improve species identification. Datasets are used in species distribution modelling and to inform interested parties about occurrences.
Keyword(s):	Cetacean sightings; WALOG
Documentation:	Information for MAPS whale sighting data (2018-12-18). hdl:10013/epic.24d813e7-0158-4fc3-bc99-0f4ebb6beecc
Project(s):	Marine Mammal Perimeter Surveillance from RV Polarstern (MAPS)
Coverage:	MEDIAN LATITUDE: -46.149120 * MEDIAN LONGITUDE: 15.323975 * SOUTH-BOUND LATITUDE: -54.941480 * WEST-BOUND LONGITUDE: 12.461070 * NORTH-BOUND LATITUDE: -33.941800 * EAST-BOUND LONGITUDE: 18.300730
	DATE/TIME START: 2013-11-12T07:31:55 * DATE/TIME END: 2013-12-16T05:13:26
Event(s):	PS81/8-track * LATITUDE START: -33.911860 * LONGITUDE START: 18.434600 * LATITUDE END: -33.911860 * LONGITUDE END: 18.434600 * DATE/TIME START: 2013-11-09T00:00:00 * DATE/TIME END: 2013-12-16T00:00:00 * LOCATION: Southern Ocean * CAMPAIGN: ANT-XXIX/8 (PS81) (URI: https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0672_2014) * BASIS: Polarstern (URI: https://doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-3-163) * METHOD/DEVICE: Underway cruise track measurements (CT)
Comment:	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.
Parameter(s):	DATE/TIME (Date/Time) * GEOCODE * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html)
	LATITUDE (Latitude) * GEOCODE * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html)
	LONGITUDE (Longitude) * GEOCODE * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html)
	Whale species (Whale) * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html) * METHOD/DEVICE: Visual inspection
	Certainty of identification (Certainty) * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html)
	Individuals [#] (Ind) * PI: Burkhardt, Elke (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5128-4176, Elke.Burkhardt@awi.de, https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/organisation/staff/single-view/elke-burkhardt.html) * METHOD/DEVICE: Visual inspection
License:	Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0) (URI: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Status:	Curation Level: Enhanced curation (URI: https://wiki.pangaea.de/wiki/Curation_levels)
Size:	39 data points
*/
Date/Time	Latitude	Longitude	Whale	Certainty	Ind [#]
2013-11-12T07:31:55	-38.12480	17.34455	Dolphins, unidentified	definite	2
2013-11-13T03:33:50	-41.52443	17.35798	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	3
2013-11-13T14:53:37	-43.38802	17.36587	Megaptera novaeangliae	possible	2
2013-11-15T09:18:25	-49.23112	16.94217	Balaenoptera aff. bonaerensis	probable	1
2013-11-19T10:03:34	-52.32860	13.06667	Whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-11-22T13:36:23	-54.94148	12.46107	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	2
2013-11-22T18:47:50	-54.88043	12.46842	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	4
2013-11-23T05:01:17	-53.30443	12.59523	Megaptera novaeangliae	probable	2
2013-12-04T04:56:07	-52.15242	12.57133	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	1
2013-12-05T10:27:40	-52.45375	13.00580	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	2
2013-12-14T05:27:33	-39.51463	17.50353	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	3
2013-12-16T03:21:16	-34.15265	18.22833	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	2
2013-12-16T05:13:26	-33.94180	18.30073	Megaptera novaeangliae	definite	2