/* DATA DESCRIPTION:
Citation:	Burkhardt, Elke (2026): Whale sightings during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/5 (PS81) [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.992899
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/5 (Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) – 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: -48.474679 * MEDIAN LONGITUDE: -37.059768 * SOUTH-BOUND LATITUDE: -51.597780 * WEST-BOUND LONGITUDE: -56.813880 * NORTH-BOUND LATITUDE: -33.850300 * EAST-BOUND LONGITUDE: 15.752020
	DATE/TIME START: 2013-04-24T19:41:19 * DATE/TIME END: 2013-05-28T13:16:53
Event(s):	PS81/5-track * LATITUDE START: -51.690000 * LONGITUDE START: -57.812000 * LATITUDE END: -33.911860 * LONGITUDE END: 18.434600 * DATE/TIME START: 2013-04-18T00:00:00 * DATE/TIME END: 2013-05-29T00:00:00 * LOCATION: South Atlantic Ocean * CAMPAIGN: ANT-XXIX/5 (PS81) * 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:	60 data points
*/
Date/Time	Latitude	Longitude	Whale	Certainty	Ind [#]
2013-04-24T19:41:19	-51.01775	-48.04352	Globicephala melas	probable	>10
2013-04-27T12:12:03	-51.46463	-56.81388	Globicephala melas	probable	>20
2013-04-28T15:07:51	-51.59778	-54.53263	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-04-29T18:05:00	-51.17657	-51.97260	Orcinus orca	probable	1
2013-05-01T13:02:42	-50.97707	-48.07027	Whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-01T13:18:50	-50.97293	-47.99545	Whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-01T17:38:09	-50.97653	-47.83905	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-01T18:20:34	-50.98468	-47.73758	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-01T18:22:35	-50.98483	-47.72862	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-01T18:27:09	-50.98508	-47.70790	Balaenoptera physalus	probable	1
2013-05-01T18:33:21	-50.98527	-47.67823	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-05T14:21:08	-50.67427	-40.56135	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-13T17:53:22	-50.85728	-44.86130	Large whale, unidentified	definite	2
2013-05-14T18:24:22	-50.56117	-39.92612	Balaenoptera aff. bonaerensis	possible	1
2013-05-14T18:27:02	-50.56808	-39.92145	Dolphins, unidentified	definite	>20
2013-05-18T10:05:05	-47.28377	-26.43768	Lagenorhynchus cruciger	definite	1
2013-05-20T09:17:31	-44.03772	-15.07615	Whale, unidentified	definite	2
2013-05-20T13:48:36	-43.88555	-14.56203	Globicephala melas	probable	2
2013-05-27T08:23:25	-35.65233	10.51843	Whale, unidentified	definite	1
2013-05-28T13:16:53	-33.85030	15.75202	Large whale, unidentified	definite	1