Whale sightings during POLARSTERN cruise PS130/2

Data on whale distribution and abundance in the polar oceans is rather sparse, as implementing the standard surveying method, line-transect surveys, is challenging and costly. To overcome this problem, we initiated a program to electronically log all opportunistic cetacean sightings during all Polarstern expeditions through the nautical officer on watch. Opportunistic (visual) sightings by naked eye were logged during Polarstern Cruise PS130/2 (Las Palmas – Bremerhaven) by the nautical officer on duty using a customized Software package (WALOG, WhAleLOGger) installed on a touch screen laptop located on the ship's bridge. Species were identified by naked eye or handheld binoculars (7x50) to the lowest possible taxonomical level and assigned a "certainty" level of identification. The number of animals were counted if possible or estimated for larger groups. Whenever identification to species level was not possible, the next identifiable taxonomical category was assigned. […]

极地海洋鲸类分布与丰度的数据相对匮乏，这是因为实施标准的调查方法，即线形断面调查，既困难又昂贵。为了克服这一难题，我们启动了一项计划，通过值班海官在所有“极星”号远征期间电子记录所有偶然发现的海豚目动物。在“极星”号航行PS130/2（拉斯帕尔马斯-不来梅港）期间，值班海官利用安装在船桥触摸屏笔记本电脑上的定制软件包（WALOG，鲸类日志记录器）记录了裸眼（视觉）的偶然发现。物种通过肉眼或手持双筒望远镜（7x50）识别到最低可能的分类级别，并赋予了一个“确定性”的识别等级。如果可能，计数动物数量，或对较大的群体进行估计。每当无法识别到物种水平时，就分配下一个可识别的分类类别。