Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Turtles

Charlotte Dunn

doi:10.15468/pfra43

Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Turtles

Citation

Dunn, C. 2006. Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Turtles. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/326) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/pfra43 accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-07-16.

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 sea turtle sightings, and other marine mammal strandings and sightings are included in separate datasets in OBIS-SEAMAP. The entire dataset includes 89 stranding records between 1944 and 2005, including 15 species with Cuvier's beaked whale being the most common. Marine mammal sightings data include 444 sightings between 1988 and 2005, including sightings reported from the public. The dataset 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 presented here includes 101 sightings of turtles comprising 3 different species between 1991 and 2005.

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).

Chelonia mydas
common name: Green Sea Turtle rank: species
Eretmochelys imbricata
common name: Hawksbill Sea Turtle rank: species
Dermochelys coriacea
common name: Leatherback Sea Turtle rank: species
Caretta caretta
common name: Loggerhead Sea Turtle rank: species
Cheloniidae
common name: Sea Turtles rank: family
Cheloniidae
common name: Sea Turtles rank: family

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