Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Strandings

Charlotte Dunn

doi:10.15468/6bm9ap

Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Strandings

Citation

Dunn, C. 2006. Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Strandings. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/327) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/6bm9ap accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-16.

Description

Original provider: Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Dataset credits: Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Abstract: The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation has a long-term study that has been documenting the occurrence, distribution, and abundance of marine mammals around the islands of The Bahamas since 1991. With more than 1,900 marine mammal encounters in the Bahamas, we are providing the only comprehensive documentation of the marine mammal fauna in this part of the world. Our research is based on the use of systematic boat-based surveys for describing the distribution and habitat use of different marine mammal species. We employ photo-identification techniques for the recognition of individual whales and dolphins, and we have developed new statistical approaches for using these data to determine abundance estimates and occupancy patterns. This photographic sampling is complemented by the collection of skin and faecal samples for molecular genetic analysis, which are being used to assess levels of genetic diversity and investigate the structuring of marine mammal populations.

The dataset presented here includes only marine mammal strandings, and other sea turtle and marine mammal sightings are included in separate datasets in OBIS-SEAMAP. The dataset presented here includes 89 stranding records between 1944 and 2005, including 15 species with Cuvier's beaked whale being the most common. The entire dataset consists of 444 marine mammal sightings between 1988 and 2005, including sightings reported from the public. The dataset also includes 1,934 BMMS vessel encounters with marine mammals between 1991 and 2005, comprising 20 different species, with the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin representing 60% of all encounters. Finally, the dataset includes 101 sightings of turtles comprising 3 different species between 1991 and 2005. Supplemental information: The stranding records have no time recorded and time was filled with 12:00:00. Some records do not have the exact date. See [DateApprx] field, which is not included in the downloadable data for the public, but may be available if requested. Please contact the primary data provider to ask for permission for additional fields.

Purpose

Not available

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).

Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Stenella frontalis
common name: Atlantic Spotted Dolphin rank: species
Mesoplodon densirostris
common name: Blainville's Beaked Whale rank: species
Ziphius cavirostris
common name: Cuvier's Beaked Whale rank: species
Kogia sima
common name: Dwarf Sperm Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera physalus
common name: Fin Whale rank: species
Mesoplodon europaeus
common name: Gervais' Beaked Whale rank: species
Cystophora cristata
common name: Hooded Seal rank: species
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Orcinus orca
common name: Killer Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
common name: Minke Whale rank: species
Kogia breviceps
common name: Pygmy Sperm Whale rank: species
Globicephala macrorhynchus
common name: Short-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
Physeter macrocephalus
common name: Sperm Whale rank: species
Hyperoodontidae
rank: family
Delphinidae
common name: dolphins rank: family
Kogia
common name: pygmy sperm whales rank: genus
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Trichechus manatus
common name: West Indian Manatee rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Bahamas

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Charlotte Dunn
originator
position: Primary contact
Charlotte Dunn
email: None

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

Charlotte Dunn
owner
position: Primary contact
Charlotte Dunn
email: None

Charlotte Dunn
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Charlotte Dunn
email: None