Survey records of the project: “A day in the life of spinner dolphins” inshore of Hualien, eastern Taiwan｜臺灣花蓮近海飛旋海豚的一天調查紀錄

Study Extent

Inshore of Hualien, eastern Taiwan.

Sampling

For each trip, there were four observers divided into two groups, with each group consisting of two observers and two recorders. The dolphins were observed and recorded hourly by each group alternately. However, when cetaceans were sighted, group members, who were on a break, recorded videos and captured photographs. In total, 15 surveys were conducted, with an estimated average effort per trip of 6–8 h.

Quality Control

Following electronic data entry, the records underwent a data cleaning process by a trained cetacean researcher of Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation. All the scientific names of cetaceans were validated by the NomenMatch tool, which compared the names to the taxonomy backbones of Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Catalogue of Life, Taiwan Catalogue of Life, and Taiwan Biodiversity Network before adding them to the database. Geolocations were transformed into decimal degrees and verified by the QGIS 3.10 (long-term release) software.

Method steps

1. During the transect surveys, the boat speed was maintained at 8–10 knots. Upon sighting the cetaceans, the species, number of individuals, time, and geographical coordinates (longitude and latitude) were recorded in a record sheet.
2. When a group of spinner dolphins was sighted during a transect survey, the transect survey was terminated, and the dolphin group was then tracked using the focal animal sampling method.

N/A

1. Chordata
   rank: phylum
2. Kogiidae
   rank: family
3. Delphinidae
   rank: family
4. Hyperoodontidae
   rank: family
5. Mammalia
   rank: class
6. Cetacea
   rank: order
7. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
8. Physeteridae
   rank: family

Inshore of Hualien, eastern Taiwan.