Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal.
Emergence of new technologies in remote sensing give scientists a new way to detect and monitor wildlife populations. In this study we assess the ability to detect and classify two emblematic Arctic cetaceans, the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), using very high-...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254380 |
| _version_ | 1818342758277971968 |
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| author | Bertrand Charry Emily Tissier John Iacozza Marianne Marcoux Cortney A Watt |
| author_facet | Bertrand Charry Emily Tissier John Iacozza Marianne Marcoux Cortney A Watt |
| author_sort | Bertrand Charry |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Emergence of new technologies in remote sensing give scientists a new way to detect and monitor wildlife populations. In this study we assess the ability to detect and classify two emblematic Arctic cetaceans, the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), using very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery. We analyzed 12 VHR images acquired in August 2017 and 2019, collected by the WorldView-3 satellite, which has a maximum resolution of 0.31 m per pixel. The images covered Clearwater Fiord (138.8 km2), an area on eastern Baffin Island, Canada where belugas spend a large part of the summer, and Tremblay Sound (127.0 km2), a narrow water body located on the north shore of Baffin Island that is used by narwhals during the open water season. A total of 292 beluga whales and 109 narwhals were detected in the images. This study contributes to our understanding of Arctic cetacean distribution and highlights the capabilities of using satellite imagery to detect marine mammals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:19:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5d812b30c8f74b9d94558714ee8b0cb0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:19:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-5d812b30c8f74b9d94558714ee8b0cb02022-12-21T23:38:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01168e025438010.1371/journal.pone.0254380Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal.Bertrand CharryEmily TissierJohn IacozzaMarianne MarcouxCortney A WattEmergence of new technologies in remote sensing give scientists a new way to detect and monitor wildlife populations. In this study we assess the ability to detect and classify two emblematic Arctic cetaceans, the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) and beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), using very high-resolution (VHR) satellite imagery. We analyzed 12 VHR images acquired in August 2017 and 2019, collected by the WorldView-3 satellite, which has a maximum resolution of 0.31 m per pixel. The images covered Clearwater Fiord (138.8 km2), an area on eastern Baffin Island, Canada where belugas spend a large part of the summer, and Tremblay Sound (127.0 km2), a narrow water body located on the north shore of Baffin Island that is used by narwhals during the open water season. A total of 292 beluga whales and 109 narwhals were detected in the images. This study contributes to our understanding of Arctic cetacean distribution and highlights the capabilities of using satellite imagery to detect marine mammals.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254380 |
| spellingShingle | Bertrand Charry Emily Tissier John Iacozza Marianne Marcoux Cortney A Watt Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. PLoS ONE |
| title | Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. |
| title_full | Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. |
| title_fullStr | Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. |
| title_short | Mapping Arctic cetaceans from space: A case study for beluga and narwhal. |
| title_sort | mapping arctic cetaceans from space a case study for beluga and narwhal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254380 |
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