Tag Guide

The tag guide is a ".xls" file that includes extensive metadata pertaining to each tag deployment (see figure below). Much of this data can be added/removed/changed based on the specific needs of the user, but there are a number of columns (denoted by specific column headers) that are used in the creation of the quicklook file. All date/time combinations use the format MM/DD/YY HH:MM:SS and a 24-hour day. All latitude and longitude positions are given in decimal degrees.

The necessary columns (headers) include:

• ID - The specific identifier for a tag deployment (species, deployment date, and tag number).
• Animal ID - The given name or identifying number for a specific animal.
• Tag_On - The date and time that the tag was deployed onto an animal.
• Tag_Off - The data and time that the tag was deployed onto an animal.
• Lat_On - The latitude position where the tag was deployed onto an animal.
• Long_On - The longitude position where the tag was deployed onto an animal.
• Recover_Time - The date and time that the tag was recovered from the ocean.
• Recover_Lat - The latitude position where the tag was recovered from the ocean.
• Recover_Long - The longitude position where the tag was recovered from the ocean.
• Total Tag On Time HH:MM:SS - The total time that the tag spent on the animal (calculated during the prh creation process).
• Total Data Time - The total data time during the deployment (likely the same as the total time spent on the animal).
• Total Video Time - The total video time during the deployment.
• Notes - Any descriptive/contextual notes (e.g. "Tagged with one other whale", "Swam under boat then breached for 10 minutes").

Other (optional) columns related to data ownership or data/video auditing could include:

• Study_Area - The general location of the deployment (e.g. Antarctic, Monterey, South Africa).
• Project - The project name or funding source (e.g. NSF, LTER).
• Drone - The animal's body length measured from a UAV drone.
• Biopsy - Yes/No if there was a biopsy sample taken from the tagged animal.
• Pregnant - Yes/No if the tagged animal was known to be pregnant.
• Tag Type - The specific model of tag used for the deployment (e.g. Wireless, 2K, 4K).
• Primary Camera View - The primary view from the tag camera throughout the deployment (e.g. Forward Left, Right Dorsal).
• Feed - Yes/No if the tagged animal is foraging during the deployment period.
• Prey - The type of prey being eaten by a foraging animal (e.g. Krill, Anchovies, Sand Lance, Milk).
• Calls - Yes/No if the there are audible calls in the data.
• Other Whales - Yes/No if other whales are visible on the video.
• Breaches - Yes/No if the animal breaches during the deployment.
• Flukes - Yes/No if flukes are visible from the tagged animal or other animals.
• Short Description - A short overview of the deployment (e.g. "Bubble nets, lots of whales", "Dolphins bow-riding")
• Location - The specific geographic area where the tag was deployed (e.g. "Santa Barbara Channel, "Andvord Bay")