A Geospatial Analysis of Mystic Aquarium's Marine Animal Stranding Data

Abstract

Mystic Aquarium’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program has been responding to distressed marine animals in Connecticut and Rhode Island for over 35 years. To date, the Aquarium has responded to more than 1,290 stranded seals, whales, dolphins and sea turtles. As required by NOAA, each recorded stranding has an associated Level A data form which contains the details of the stranding event, including specific information on the animal, its condition and the exact location of the event. This detailed information is very valuable, and can be mapped in programs such as ArcMap and shared through online databases like OBIS-SEAMAP and SeaTurtle.Org for visual representation and analysis. Interactive maps of the coordinates and details of these stranding events can be used to detect spatial and temporal trends in marine animal strandings, and can also improve efficiency in responding to future events by targeting education and outreach efforts based on historic observations of species, location and seasonality. Mystic Aquarium’s stranding data was mapped using both ArcMap and OBIS-SEAMAP, to look for spatial and temporal patterns in marine mammal and sea turtle strandings. The maps produced will be used to target resources and educational efforts to identified stranding hot spots, and also used as educational displays outside Mystic’s Seal Rescue Clinic. Adding data to OBIS-SEA map will add to the growing global database and allow researchers to observe trends on a larger scale.