Citizen science data from the Sea Turtle Spotter project on iNaturalist.org is being analyzed to understand sea turtle spatial distributions. The project collects sightings from observers to map locations and identify species. An honors thesis found over 300 observers submitted 800 turtle sightings between 1996-2017, mostly of green and hawksbill turtles near the U.S. and Mexico Pacific coast. Researchers download and analyze the data in ArcGIS to identify areas of research interest and map turtle habitat use.

1. Citation: Stapleton, H. 2017. The effectiveness of iNaturalist Citizen-collected Data for Monitoring Sea
Turtle Populations. Senior Honors Thesis. Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Conservation Biology.
Colorado State University.
Sea Turtle Spotter is a project housed on the online iNaturalist.org platform. The project was started by sailboats
as a means to efficiently register their sightings of sea turtles in Mexico. Now it is used globally by anyone with an
active, free account in iNaturalist.org, which is maintained by the California Academy of Sciences.
Our Sea Turtle Spotter project housed and maintained by iNaturalist.org provides an excellent platform for citizen
scientists to register their sea turtle sightings. Below are a few examples of valuable data we receive and use for analysis
RESEARCH QUESTION
Can citizen science data increase
knowledge of the spatial distribution of
sea turtles?
HYPOTHESIS
Citizen science data provides
complementary and quantitative information
about the spatial ecology of sea turtles that
can aid in creating international conservation
strategies.
HYPOTHESIS
METHODOLOGY
MATERIALS:
*Geographic positioning system (GPS)
*Smart phone and/or Tablet
*Computer with ArcGIS software
*Binoculars
*Field Guide handouts and Sea turtle species
replicas
PROCEDURE:
1. Create a visual field guide of all species of sea
turtles that can be found in the region.
2. Provide a 1-2 hour workshop that includes fun
activities to learn how to currently identify
between different sea turtle species, identify
habitat types, and register sea turtle sightings.
3. Collect sea turtle sightings via iNaturalist.org
or NaturaLista.mx
A. Presence/absence level: date, time,
coordinates in decimal degrees.
B. Species-specific, research grade level: above
and photos and/or video showing the habitat type
and turtle(s)
C. Sightings with 2+ turtles of the same species
in the same area can grouped together as a
sighting.
D. Note that if more than one person is
registering sightings from a vessel, choose a
lead person with binoculars to register sightings
and avoid duplications.
E. To estimate the number of turtles in a habitat,
use the formula: count turtles as they surface to
breathe in intervals of 1 minute. Do this for up to
30 minutes. Then take an average per minute for
the entire study time to determine relative
abundance.
4. Download the data from iNaturalist.org as a
XML file and sort into latitude and longitude.
5. Import into ArcGIS for mapping analysis
A Collaborative Citizen Science Project to
Enhance Awareness and Data Collection
for Sea Turtle Conservation
Stephanie J. Rousso1,2
MS, George Shillinger1
PhD, Vanessa Hunt3
PhD
1
Upwell, 2
Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (CICIMAR), 3
Central Washington University RESULTS
DATA
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Sea Turtle Spotter project is
currently funded by:
In collaboration with:
Artisanal Fishing Communities
Developing trust with fishers allows scientists to gain valuable insight and data into incidental capture of sea turtles and work
collaboratively to reduce bycatch, implement best fishing practices, and create local sustainable seafood programs
Eastern Pacific Green Turtles:
Considered threatened in the region, sightings of green turtles provides information of habitat use and spatial distribution
Hawksbill Turtles:
Critically endangered in the eastern pacific. Each hawksbill sighting provides data of habitat use and spatial distribution
Unwell's Mexico coordinator Stephanie J. Rousso working together with fisherman Miguel Higuera to remove barnacles from possibly
the smallest registered juvenile hawksbill turtle in the area, accidentally caught in his bait net less than 5 meters from shore.
Adult green turtle spotted at La Reina seamount in the Gulf
of California along with rare spotted giant manta rays.
Photo: Alex Double, Upwell Sea Turtle Ambassador
Subadult green turtle spotted in Loreto, B.C.S., MX feeding
on gongorian corals and marine algae.
Photo: Alex Double, Upwell Sea Turtle Ambassador
Juvenile green turtle spotted in El Sargento, B.C.S., MX
under a rock ledge in newly documented habitat.
Photo: Mary Sim, Upwell Sea Turtle Ambassador
Thanks to divers at La Reina seamount, we have identified 5 different individuals at
this dive site and working to better understand the habitat use here.
Photo: Tamara Double, Upwell Sea Turtle Ambassador
During monitoring efforts with collaborating non-profits and academic institutions in
Mexico, we collect the sea turtle barnacles for stable isotope analysis.
Photo: Stephanie J. Rousso, Upwell Mexico Coordinator
Hawksbill sea turtle spotted in previously undocumented habitat near
Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S, MX.
Photo: Nicole Pelltier, Sea Turtle Spotter
Hawksbill sea turtle spotted with epibiont of coral and
barnacles near La Paz, B.C.S., MX.
Photo: Anonymous, Sea Turtle Spotter
Hawksbill sea turtle spotted on the El Bajo seamount while
SCUBA diving near La Paz, B.C.S.
Photo: Daniel Ramirez Valenzuela, Scuba School Divers
In an undergraduate thesis provided by Honors
Student Haley Stapleton from Colorado State
University revealed the following results as of
November 2017:
*308 Observers registered 820 sea turtle sightings
between 1996-2017 using iNaturalist.org.
*Most observations are within 20 miles of the Pacific
U.S. and Mexico and western Pacific regions.
*Green and hawksbill species are most frequently
observed (62.2% and 19%, respectively).
Sea Turtle Spotter includes a map of sightings. Upwell scientists transform the sightings into ArcGIS
mapping software for analysis. The yellow circles are areas of research interest based on citizen science
data and the green circles illustrate active research areas of known habitat use.