Multi-Species Whale Heatmap

Multi-Species Whale Heatmap with Mapbox by Quintin Tyree

This animated Mapbox GL map shows heatmaps of whale observations for three datasets plotted simultaneously. These data were aggregated and downloaded by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).. The data includes observations of: blue whales from 2006-2025, humpback whales from 2017-2025, and sperm whales from 2006-2025. The animation smoothly morphs monthly density from January to December, with distinct colors for each species so spatial overlap is visible.

Use the animation controls to modify the heat map

Month: January

Species shown:

Sperm whales (red) Humpback whales (green) Blue whales (blue)

Animation controls ▸

Transition position 0 = start of month, 1 = next month Seconds per month transition Lower = faster, higher = slower Blur strength Controls how “soft” the transition looks

Red: Sperm whales • Green: Humpback whales • Blue: Blue whales — Animation shows monthly density (Jan–Dec)

January

Sperm whale observations

Humpback whale observations

Blue whale observations

Brighter color = higher local observation density for that species.