Southern Right Whale Photo-Identification for Aggregation Area Classification, 1991-2021

Photo-identification records of individual southern right whales collected in southwestern Australia between 1991 and 2021. The data was collated and matched as part of a National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub study to update biologically important area classifications. The project provides evidence supporting the recognition of Flinders Bay and Geographe Bay as nationally significant aggregation areas.

Use Cases

• Track individual whale sightings and movements over time based on photo-identification matching.
• Assess population recovery and expansion into historical habitats based on the project's evidence.
• Update marine park management plans and biologically important area classifications based on the project's recommendations.

Strengths

• Data spans a long-term period from 1991 to 2021, allowing for analysis of population trends.
• Project outcomes provide specific evidence for updating national biologically important area criteria.
• Data is integrated into the Australasian Right Whale Photo-Identification Catalogue (ARWPIC), a dedicated regional repository.

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

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Collation and photo-identification matching of images collected between 2010 and 2020.

Time Range

1991-2021

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-17 00:35:28.815047; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southwestern Australia, specifically Flinders Bay and Geographe Bay.