Data from: Terrestrial spatial distribution and summer abundance of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) near Palmer Station, Antarctica, from drone surveys

The shifting climatic regime of maritime Antarctica is driving complex
changes across trophic levels that manifest differentially across species
and regions. Subantarctic pinnipeds have increased their seasonal
attendance near Palmer Station, Anarctica, since earliest observations in
the mid-1900s, and Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) now
represent a significant but unstudied predator population in the area
during the austral summer. To characterize the timing of abundance and
fine-scale distribution of this seasonal attendance, we carried out
regular drone surveys of terrestrial habitats near Palmer Station in the
austral summer of 2020. Using repeat animal counts and photogrammetric
data products, we modeled fur seal abundance at survey sites over the
period of observation, we modeled habitat suitability based on fine-scale
topographic habitat characteristics from satellite imagery, and we
estimated abundance across terrestrial habitats near Palmer Station as a
function of date and site suitability. This data repository contains the
seal locations and a custom-prepared elevation satellite product used to
model habitat suitability, as well as the predicted suitability from that
model applied to all exposed land in the study region. Seal locations and
survey metadata are provided in tabular form, whereas satellite elevation
products and model predictions are provided in raster formats, and
shapefiles are provided that delineate exposed land and surveyed regions,
respectively. These data enable the replication or customized adaptation
of our research methods, or other uses exploring terrestrial habitats near
Palmer Station, Antarctica using our prepared elevation map.