Mystic Aquarium's marine mammal and sea turtle stranding data 1976-2011

Ainsley Smith

doi:10.15468/ymqu6q

Mystic Aquarium's marine mammal and sea turtle stranding data 1976-2011

Citation

Smith, A. 2014. Mystic Aquarium's marine mammal and sea turtle stranding data 1976-2011. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/945) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/ymqu6q accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-06-18.

Description

Original provider: Mystic Aquarium Dataset credits: Mystic Aquarium Abstract: Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program supports animals in need, educates the public about the marine environment and its inhabitants, and promotes our mission to inspire people to care about and protect our ocean planet. Mystic Aquarium is a founding member of the Northeast Region Stranding Network. The network consists of independent organizations dedicated to caring for sick and injured marine animals and learning more about the reasons they come ashore. Only groups and facilities authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service are permitted to handle these animals, which are protected under federal law.

The efforts of the Aquarium and its volunteer "first responder" network are centered on the coasts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, New York, USA, but the Aquarium has also supported institutions from Maine to New Jersey, and even in Texas, when other institutions have needed support for their operations. To date the Aquarium has responded to more than 1100 stranded seals, whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles. From 2007 to 2012, we have responded to 376 strandings and 426 sightings and accepted 113 seals from other facilities for rehabilitation. Purpose: Aquarium scientists maintain data on marine mammal and sea turtle strandings and sightings as a means of monitoring the behavior and health of these animals, always vigilant for changes in patterns that might signal an unusual event such as a viral outbreak or a toxic algal bloom. The condition of these animals reveals much about the health of our oceans. Supplemental information: [2020-09-30] The following invalid species names were corrected according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Turtles: Testudines (173749) => Testudines (948936) April 9, 2013: Time of stranding was not available, so 00:00:00 was used; two records did not have month or day available, so Jan 1 was used.

Purpose

Aquarium scientists maintain data on marine mammal and sea turtle strandings and sightings as a means of monitoring the behavior and health of these animals, always vigilant for changes in patterns that might signal an unusual event such as a viral outbreak or a toxic algal bloom. The condition of these animals reveals much about the health of our oceans.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Lagenorhynchus acutus
common name: Atlantic White-sided Dolphin rank: species
Mesoplodon densirostris
common name: Blainville's Beaked Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera musculus
common name: Blue Whale rank: species
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Delphinus delphis
common name: Short-beaked Common Dolphin rank: species
Kogia sima
common name: Dwarf Sperm Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera physalus
common name: Fin Whale rank: species
Chelonia mydas
common name: Green Sea Turtle rank: species
Halichoerus grypus
common name: Atlantic gray seal rank: species
Phocoena phocoena
common name: Harbor Porpoise rank: species
Phoca vitulina
common name: Harbor Seal rank: species
Pagophilus groenlandicus
common name: Harp Seal rank: species
Cystophora cristata
common name: Hooded Seal rank: species
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Lepidochelys kempii
common name: Kemp's Ridley rank: species
Dermochelys coriacea
common name: Leatherback Sea Turtle rank: species
Caretta caretta
common name: Loggerhead Sea Turtle rank: species
Globicephala melas
common name: Long-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
common name: Minke Whale rank: species
Eubalaena glacialis
common name: North Atlantic Right Whale rank: species
Kogia breviceps
common name: Pygmy Sperm Whale rank: species
Grampus griseus
common name: Risso's Dolphin rank: species
Globicephala macrorhynchus
common name: Short-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
Mesoplodon bidens
common name: Sowerby's Beaked Whale rank: species
Stenella coeruleoalba
common name: Striped Dolphin rank: species
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Mysticeti
common name: baleen whales rank: suborder
Odontoceti
common name: toothed whales rank: suborder
Caniformia
common name: pinnipeds rank: suborder
Testudines
common name: Turtles rank: order

Geographic Coverages

Oceans

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Ainsley Smith
originator
position: Primary contact
Duke University
email: ainsley.smith@duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
metadata author
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
distributor
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

Ainsley Smith
owner
position: Primary contact
Duke University
email: ainsley.smith@duke.edu

Ainsley Smith
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Duke University
email: ainsley.smith@duke.edu