Journal article
A collaborative and near-comprehensive North Pacific humpback whale photo-ID dataset
Scientific reports, Vol.13(1), 10237
2023
PMID: 37353581
Abstract
We present an ocean-basin-scale dataset that includes tail fluke photographic identification (photo-ID) and encounter data for most living individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific Ocean. The dataset was built through a broad collaboration combining 39 separate curated photo-ID catalogs, supplemented with community science data. Data from throughout the North Pacific were aggregated into 13 regions, including six breeding regions, six feeding regions, and one migratory corridor. All images were compared with minimal pre-processing using a recently developed image recognition algorithm based on machine learning through artificial intelligence; this system is capable of rapidly detecting matches between individuals with an estimated 97–99% accuracy. For the 2001–2021 study period, a total of 27,956 unique individuals were documented in 157,350 encounters. Each individual was encountered, on average, in 5.6 sampling periods (i.e., breeding and feeding seasons), with an annual average of 87% of whales encountered in more than one season. The combined dataset and image recognition tool represents a living and accessible resource for collaborative, basin-wide studies of a keystone marine mammal in a time of rapid ecological change.
Details
- Title
- A collaborative and near-comprehensive North Pacific humpback whale photo-ID dataset
- Authors/Creators
- Ted Cheeseman - Southern Cross UniversityKen Southerland - Happywhale, Santa Cruz, California USAJo Marie Acebes - BALYENA.ORG, Jagna, PhilippinesKatherina Audley - Whales of Guerrero, Barra de Potosí, MexicoJay Barlow - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science CenterLars Bejder - Kaneohe, Hawaiʻi USACaitlin Birdsall - The Arctic Eider SocietyAmanda L. Bradford - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science CenterJosie K. Byington - Asia Pacific Foundation of CanadaJohn Calambokidis - Cascadia Research CollectiveRachel Cartwright - Keiki Kohola Project, Delray Beach, Hawaiʻi USAJen Cedarleaf - University of Alaska SoutheastAndrea Jacqueline García Chavez - Whales of Guerrero, Barra de Potosí, MexicoJens J. Currie - Pacific Whale Foundation, Maui, Hawaiʻi USAJoëlle De Weerdt - AGIR à domNicole Doe - Marine Education and Research Society, Port McNeill, British Columbia CanadaThomas Doniol-Valcroze - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaKarina Dracott - The Arctic Eider SocietyOlga Filatova - University of Southern DenmarkRachel Finn - NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii USAKiirsten Flynn - Cascadia Research CollectiveJohn K. B. Ford - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaAstrid Frisch-Jordán - Centro de Estudios Universitarios ArkosChristine M. Gabriele - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Gustavus, Alaska USA Hawaiʻi Marine Mammal Consortium, Kamuela, Hawaiʻi USABeth Goodwin - Center for Whale ResearchCraig Hayslip - Oregon State UniversityJackie Hildering - Marine Education and Research Society, Port McNeill, British Columbia CanadaMarie C. Hill - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science CenterJeff K. Jacobsen - Arcata, California USAM. Esther Jiménez-López - La Paz, Baja California Sur MéxicoMeagan Jones - Whale MuseumNozomi Kobayashi - Okinawa Churashima FoundationEdward Lyman - NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii USAMark Malleson - Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea, Duncan, British Columbia CanadaEvgeny Mamaev - Commander Islands National Park, Kamchatka Krai, Russian FederationPamela Martínez Loustalot - La Paz, MexicoAnnie Masterman - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science CenterCraig Matkin - North Gulf Oceanic Society, Homer, Alaska USAChristie J. McMillan - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaJeff E. Moore - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science CenterJohn R. Moran - NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science CenterJanet L. Neilson - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Gustavus, Alaska USAHayley Newell - Happywhale, Santa Cruz, California USAHaruna Okabe - Okinawa Churashima FoundationMarilia Olio - Happywhale, Santa Cruz, California USAAdam A. Pack - University of Hawaii at HiloDaniel M. Palacios - Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifeHeidi C. Pearson - University of Alaska SoutheastEster Quintana-Rizzo - Emmanuel College - MassachusettsRaul Fernando Ramírez Barragán - Whales of Guerrero, Barra de Potosí, MexicoNicola Ransome - Murdoch UniversityHiram Rosales-Nanduca - La Paz, Baja California Sur MéxicoFred Sharpe - Whale MuseumTasli Shaw - Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea, Duncan, British Columbia CanadaStephanie H. Stack - Pacific Whale Foundation, Maui, Hawaiʻi USAIain Staniland - International Whaling Commission, Impington, UKJan Straley - University of Alaska SoutheastAndrew Szabo - Whale MuseumSuzie Teerlink - NOAA National Marine Fisheries ServiceOlga Titova - Severtsov Institute of Ecology and EvolutionJorge Urban R. - La Paz, MexicoMartin van Aswegen - University of Southern DenmarkMarcel Vinicius de Morais - Happywhale, Santa Cruz, California USAOlga von Ziegesar - Center for Whale ResearchBriana Witteveen - University of Alaska FairbanksJanie Wray - North Coast Cetacean Society, Hartley Bay, British Columbia CanadaKymberly M. Yano - University of Hawaii SystemDenny Zwiefelhofer - Happywhale, Santa Cruz, California USAPhil Clapham - Vashon Partners (United States)
- Publication Details
- Scientific reports, Vol.13(1), 10237
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group UK
- Identifiers
- 991005590368407891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Metrics
247 File views/ downloads
43 Record Views
InCites Highlights
These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology
- 3.35.796 Marine Mammal Ecology
- Web Of Science research areas
- Marine & Freshwater Biology
- ESI research areas
- Plant & Animal Science