SORP 2012 Blue Whale Acoustic Tracking: Voyage Report and Sighting Data

A cruise report details two three-week voyages in January and March 2012 to develop acoustic tracking methods for Antarctic blue whales. The surveys recorded nearly 500 hours of audio, processed over 7000 blue whale calls in real-time, and resulted in 85% acoustic tracking success leading to visual sightings. The dataset includes sighting effort of 785 and 669.6 nautical miles across the voyages and photo-identification of 47 individual whales.

Use Cases

• Analyzing acoustic detection efficiency for blue whales based on the reported 85% success rate from real-time tracking.
• Studying blue whale distribution and behavior based on the 52 visual sightings and 107 total animals counted during the voyages.
• Evaluating photo-identification methods for population estimation based on the 47 individually identified whales.
• Assessing survey methodology efficiency based on the reported 20 survey days out of six allocated weeks.

Strengths

• Contains detailed quantitative results from two dedicated voyages, including 500 hours of recorded audio and over 7000 processed calls.
• Reports specific success metrics, such as an 85% acoustic tracking success rate leading to visual sightings.
• Provides precise geographic bounds (141.0-143.0ºE and 38.0-39.5ºS) and temporal scope (January and March 2012) for the survey area.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, referencing research by the Australian Antarctic Division within the Southern Ocean Research Partnership.

Collection Method

Data was gathered during two dedicated ship-based surveys involving real-time acoustic tracking and visual observation.

Time Range

January and March 2012.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-16 22:48:20.508565; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Bonney Upwelling, south-east coast of Australia (141.0-143.0ºE, 38.0-39.5ºS).