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Summary

Abstract

Table of marine mammal sightings

Description

Behavioral Observations Table

Entity Information

Entity Type
Data Table

Data Attribute / Type Description
surveyEventID
Character
Unique identifier to a survey (vessel or aircraft based) event. For vessel survey: composed of the vessel's acronym followed by a 2-digit survey year and a 2-digit consecutive mission-number on that vessel (a.k.a cruise code). Cruise name / Cruise Number
eventID
numeric
Unique numeric identifier for each survey effort point recorded at regular time intervals. For vessel surveys: approximately every 30 seconds. For aerial surveys: approximately every 10 seconds. This is the indexing number that allows each marine mammal sighting, non-mammal occurence and cue to be linked to the effort points. See also dwc:eventID
time
time
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) date-time during data recording.
eventdate
time
Local date-time during data recording.
sightingNumber
numeric
The unique identifier for the marine mammal sighting
recordedByID
character
Numeric code (observer codes) and 1st and last name initials for each observer
onEffort
character
Effort status designating if observers were on effort (e.g. observers actively scanning for marine mammals through the big eye binoculars with the vessel steadily cruising on the trackline) or off effort (e.g. observers searching naked eyed, whenever the ship was maneuvering and turning onto a new trackline, if other operations were taking place, during bad weather and whenever observers were not actively searching for cetaceans through the big eyes) at the moment of data recording. Y=Yes (on effort), N=No (off effort). For vessel survey: #1=vessel's Flying Bridge, #2=vessel's Bridge Wing (a.k.a. bridge deck).
scientificName
character
The scientific name of the marine mammal sighted.
vernacularName
character
The vernacular name of the marine mammal sighted.
platformLatitude
Numeric
The latitude of the platform at the moment of data recording.
platformLongitude
Numeric
The latitude of the platform at the moment of data recording
photographs
Character
If photographic files from the animals present during the sighting were taken and are available.
video
character
If video files from the animals present during the sighting were taken and are available.
biopsySampleAttempted
character
If biopsy sampling was attempted on animals present during the sighting.
biopsySampleTaken
character
If one or more biopsy samples were collected from animals present during the sighting.
calvesPresence
character
If at least one calf
calvesAttributes
character
Attributes used by the observer to determine animals present during the sighting as calves.
individualCountCalves
character
Minimum number of calves observed during the sighting. This value is included in the overall observers count for the sighting.
neonatePresence
character
If at least one neonate
neonateAttributes
character
Attributes used by the observer to determine animals present during the sighting as neonate.
individualCountNeonate
character
Minimum number of neonates observed during the sighting. This value is included in the overall observers count for the sighting.
CookieCutter
character
If one or more fresh bites and/or scars presumably caused by cookie-cutter sharks was observed on at least one animal on the sighting.
remoras
character
If one or more fish, generally referred to as 'remora', were observed attached to the body of at least one animal during the sighting.
behaviorInitial1
character
Overall behavior(s) displayed by the animal(s) at the first moment the sighting was observed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
behaviorInitial2
character
Overall behavior(s) displayed by the animal(s) at the first moment the sighting was observed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
behaviorInitial3
character
Overall behavior(s) displayed by the animal(s) at the first moment the sighting was observed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
vesselManeuver
character
If the vessel maneuvered from the original course to approach the sighting.
vesselApproach
character
If vesselManeuver=-1 (yes)
behaviorChange
behaviorChange
If vesselManeuver=-1 (yes)
behaviorNew1
character
Subsequent overall behaviors displayed by the animal(s) as observation of the sighting progressed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
behaviorNew2
character
Subsequent overall behaviors displayed by the animal(s) as observation of the sighting progressed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
behaviorNew3
character
Subsequent overall behaviors displayed by the animal(s) as observation of the sighting progressed. Different numbers (#) on the column heading are unique identifiers for each column and do not imply order.
behaviorResponse
character
Subjective evaluation of the observer in relation to the overall sighting's behavioral response to the vessel.
behaviorInitialFormation
character
Subjective evaluation by the observer of the overall distribution of the animals at the first moment the sighting was observed. See also dwc:behavior.
behaviorChangeFormation
numeric
If behaviorInitialShape changed during the observation of the sighting. See also dwc:behavior.
behaviornewFormation
character
Subjective evaluation by the observer of the overall distribution of the animals as observation of the sighting progressed.
multipleSpecies
character
Subjective evaluation by the observer of the overall distribution of the animals as observation of the sighting progressed.
MixedMamSpe
character
Composition of the sighting if more than one cetacean species (or lowest level taxonomic rank identified) was observed.
behaviorMultipleSpeciesRemarks
character
Comments or notes about the sighting with multiple cetacean species (or lowest level taxonomic rank identified).
sightingRemarks
character
sightingRemarks
taxonRemarks
Character
Comments or notes on the features used by the observer for species or lowest level taxonomic rank identification.
fishPresence
character
If fish were associated with the sighting.
fishIdentification
character
Taxon (if identified) or characteristics observed of the fish associated with the sighting. If applicable.
fishIdentificationVerificationStatus
character
If fishIdentification performed, extent to which the taxonomic identification has been verified to be correct.
birdPresence
character
If birds were associated with the sighting.
birdIdentification
character
Taxon (if identified) or characteristics observed of the bird(s) associated with the sighting. If applicable. See also dwc:Identification
birdIdentificationVerificationStatus
character
If birdIdentification performed
typeVLTS
character
One-character string to flag only the initial sighting records which can be used in density and abundance estimation. Opportunistic and subsequent sighting records can be included in the dataset, but these are easily identified from this term for exclusion from abundance and density modeling. The fixed vocabulary terms are: F = first observation sighting on transect, O = opportunistic sighting, S = subsequent sighting either on or off transect, Null = for position-only records or non-VLTS datasets.
platformVLTS
character
One-character string to flag survey platform type for visual line transect surveys. For aerial surveys: All records flagged “A” For boat-based surveys: All records flagged “B”.
geodeticDatum
character
The ellipsoid, geodetic datum, or spatial reference system (SRS) upon which the geographic coordinates given in decimal Latitude and decimal Longitude as based.
higherInstitutionCode
Character
Institution codes, in the form of abbreviated institution names, separated by semicolons, that define the hierarchy of institutions within which the data originator operates. Includes the originating institution as the lowest level (rightmost) code.
permitnumber
character
Research permit number issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) for research activities on marine mammals.
platformAttributes
character
Model, name and/or other proper characteristics of the platform where the survey was conducted. For vessel: e.g. NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter, NOAA Ship Pisces. For aerial survey: e.g. NOAA De Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter.
relatedProjectProgram
character
Official project and/or program under which the survey was conducted (e.g. AMAPPS, GoMMAPPS). If applicable.
samplingProtocol
character
The names of, references to, or descriptions of the methods or protocols used during an Event. Public URL to survey and/or cruise reports if available.

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NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
ncei.info@noaa.gov
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