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RPAS-derived orthomosaic dataset of Southern Elephant Seal breeding colonies on King George Island (2019-2024)
Katarzyna Fudala1, Robert Józef Bialik2
1Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
The KGI-SESMAP is a high-resolution dataset of 88 orthophotomosaics documenting southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) breeding colonies on King George Island, Antarctica. Acquired using remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) between 2019 and 2024, surveys were conducted annually during the breeding season across three Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs 128, 132, and 151). Imagery was collected with DJI RPASs and processed using a standardized photogrammetric workflow in Pix4Dmapper Version 4.6.4. The resulting georeferenced orthomosaics have ground sampling distances (GSDs) between 1.04 and 4.89 cm/pixel. This dataset captures reproductive phenology, fine-scale seal distributions, and environmental background conditions. It supports remote wildlife monitoring and enables high-resolution spatial analyses to study ecological dynamics and climate-related change in the rapidly warming Antarctic Peninsula region. All materials are openly available through the figshare data repository and include detailed quality control documentation. Beyond wildlife monitoring, the dataset is valuable for remote sensing validation and climate impact assessment, providing a robust scientific basis for developing management and conservation strategies within ASPAs.
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