https://doi.org/10.82144/ad2c332e https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/328 https://www.gbif.org/dataset/67c29a8e-f987-4fc5-83df-fb731a226c6f https://obis.org/dataset/a3bce998-07b5-4e22-b6c1-755b87554947 Charlotte Dunn Charlotte Dunn Primary contact unknown@dummy.com OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu distributor Charlotte Dunn Charlotte Dunn Primary contact unknown@dummy.com owner 2025-07-31 eng 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.<br><br> The dataset presented here includes only marine mammal sightings, and other sea turtle sightings and marine mammal strandings and sightings are included in separate datasets in OBIS-SEAMAP. The dataset presented here is a subset of 444 marine mammal sightings between 1988 and 2005, including sightings reported from the public. This dataset also is a subset of 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. The entire dataset includes 89 stranding records between 1944 and 2005, including 15 species with Cuvier's beaked whale being the most common. In addition, the entire dataset includes 101 sightings of turtles comprising 3 different species between 1991 and 2005. Occurrence GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type.xml Observation GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml Marine Biology Visual sighting Vessels Sightings Marine mammals N/A A sighting is is when our vessel was unable to close in on the group of animals while an encounter is when closing was successful and photographs / video recording of the animals were obtained. The dataset includes both encounters and sightings on transect as well as reports from the public. Off-transect sightings and encounters (opportunistic) are provided in a different dataset.<br><br> Use this dataset along with transect tracklines. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 License. https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/328 Oceans -77.455 -76.86305 26.65425 25.8547333 1997-08-13 2005-10-19 Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). order Cetacea Cetaceans family Delphinidae Dolphins species Globicephala macrorhynchus Short-finned pilot whale species Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin family Hyperoodontidae Beaked whales genus Kogia Pygmy sperm whales species Kogia breviceps Pygmy sperm whale species Kogia sima Dwarf sperm whale genus Mesoplodon Beaked whales species Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville's beaked whale species Orcinus orca Killer whale species Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale species Stenella attenuata Pantropical spotted dolphin species Stenella frontalis Atlantic spotted dolphin species Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin species Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier's beaked whale notPlanned Charlotte Dunn Charlotte Dunn Primary contact unknown@dummy.com NA NA NA Charlotte Dunn owner NA zd_328 2025-07-31T14:13:40-04:00 dataset Dunn, C. 2018. Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation On-transect Sightings. Version 1.0.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/ad2c332e. OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset Page UTF-8 Interactive map https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/328 FGDC Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/328/fgdc EML Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/328/eml OBIS-SEAMAP zd_328 zd_328 Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation. 2006. Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation On-transect Sightings. unpublished data.