Waved Albatross Satellite Tracking Data from Galapagos (2000-2001)

Wake Forest University researchers tracked nesting Waved Albatrosses via satellite telemetry from Punta Cevallos, Isla Española in the Galápagos archipelago. The data covers two breeding seasons in 2000 and 2001, with Platform Transmitter Terminals attached to birds using a tape method. Tracking was conducted via the Argos System satellites, with varying transmitter duty cycles between the two years.

Use Cases

• Modeling seabird foraging patterns and habitat use based on satellite-derived location data.
• Analyzing breeding colony site fidelity and nest attendance based on tracking data from a specific colony location.
• Studying the effectiveness of different transmitter attachment methods and duty cycles for wildlife telemetry.
• Investigating potential threats to marine birds by overlaying movement paths with human activity maps.

Strengths

• Data originates from a controlled study at a single breeding colony site (Punta Cevallos), providing focused context.
• Specific tracking methodology and transmitter duty cycles for 2000 (5 intermittent, 2 continuous) and 2001 (6 continuous) are documented.

Limitations

• Last updated 2001-07-21 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Wake Forest University / SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Satellite tracking using Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs) and the Argos System.

Time Range

2000, 2001

Freshness

Last updated 2001-07-21 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Punta Cevallos, Isla Española, Galápagos archipelago.