Annotated dataset of beluga whales detected in Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery of the southern Kara Sea (Russia) in July 2016.

This annotated dataset comprises locational data of beluga whales along the eastern shore of the Yugor Penisula and in the inner part of Baydaratskaya Bay in the southern Kara Sea (Russia) as detected from Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery on July 4th and 9th, 2016. Images were manually scanned and whales detected through the use of grids. Additional metadata includes information on image type and model, and whale distinctive characteristics (e.g., fluke or blow). This work supports the 'training' of machine learning algorithms for automatic detection of whales from satellite imagery.

This study was possible thanks to imagery support from MAXAR Technologies/Digital Globe Foundation for the VHR images and core funding from British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, as part of the 'Wildlife from Space' project.