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Geospatial data collected from tagged sea otters in central California, 1998-2012

March 10, 2016

The data are .csv files of tagged sea otter re-sighting locations (henceforth, resights) collected in the field using a combination of VHF radio telemetry and direct observation using high powered (80x) telescopes. Sea otters were tracked by shore based observers from the date of tagging until the time of radio battery failure or the animals death, whichever comes first. The frequency of re-sighting was opportunistic, depending on logistical factors such as coastal access, but generally ranged from daily to weekly. Location coordinates are reported as X and Y coordinates in the projection/datum California Teale-Albers NAD 1927. Each file contains resight data for one individual sea otter collected over a period of 1-10 years. Fields include individual identification number, geographic coordinates, the date and time of the sighting location, and associated behavioral state of the individual at the time of re-sighting.

Publication Year 2016
Title Geospatial data collected from tagged sea otters in central California, 1998-2012
DOI 10.5066/F76H4FH8
Authors M. Tim Tinker, Michelle M Staedler, L. Max Targan, Gena B Bentall, Joseph A Tomoleoni, Nicole L Laroche
Product Type Data Release
Record Source USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog
USGS Organization Western Ecological Research Center - Headquarters