Blue Whale High-Density Feeding Areas in St. Lawrence Estuary

11 tagged Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) were tracked for daytime movements and feeding behavior. Kernel density analysis identified high-density feeding areas for all individuals combined at 30, 40, 50, 60, 75, and 95% levels. The dataset supports habitat modeling for this endangered species.

Use Cases

• Model high-density feeding areas using kernel density percentages (30-95%) to identify critical Blue Whale habitat zones.
• Analyze daytime movement patterns of 11 tagged Blue Whales to understand foraging behavior in the estuary.
• Integrate feeding event identification from tracking data with geospatial layers for marine mammal habitat modeling.

Strengths

• Data is derived from tracking 11 individual Blue Whales, providing specific biological observations.
• Kernel density analysis provides multiple quantifiable thresholds (30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 95%) for feeding area identification.
• Dataset is associated with a peer-reviewed scientific publication (Endangered Species Research, 2012), ensuring methodological rigor.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to 11 individual whales, which may not represent the full population's behavior.
• Data collection is restricted to daytime movements and feeding, lacking a full 24-hour activity cycle.
• The underlying tracking data (rows, columns, sample rate) is not detailed in the available metadata.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, based on research by Doniol-Valcroze T, Lesage V, Giard J, Michaud R.

Collection Method

Satellite or radio tracking of 11 tagged Blue Whales, with subsequent kernel density analysis applied to determine feeding areas.

Time Range

Specific years not stated; research published in 2012.

Freshness

Metadata was last updated in March 2026, but the underlying study and data collection occurred circa 2012.

Geography

St. Lawrence River estuary, Canada.