Software Development

DolphinWatch app has recorded more than 2,000 fin sightings in the Chesapeake Bay

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's citizen science effort is gathering data on the marine mammals.

Look at those dolphins. (Photo courtesy of University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)

The DolphinWatch app was launched by University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in 2017 to provide a way to report sightings — and gather data — of dolphins in the Chesapeake Bay. It quickly became so popular that the existing staff couldn’t validate the sightings being reported.

That’s where Jamie Testa came in. With a background in stranded marine mammal response, gathering information and quickly responding was her expertise, which made her perfect for project coordinator of Dolphin Watch. The first few months required a lot of data validation with initial users, but has become less labor intensive as the platform has built in more checkpoints for data integrity.

“There’s no way we could have so many eyes out on the water,” Testa said. “It has been wildly successful to have this network engagement for our research.”

To use the app, citizen scientists can log on to submit a picture alongside details of the dolphin sighting, including the number of dolphins, the time of day and their location.

The number of people using DolphinWatch has increased to 4,675 people, according to the team, and there have been a reported 2,222 dolphin sightings in the Chesapeake Bay so far.

Marine researchers are also able to connect sightings with the clicks from dolphins that they record with their seapods (click detectors) and hydrophones (underwater microphones) to engage the public in the underwater experience of the dolphins. Researchers are currently raising $500 for an additional hydrophone to expand the areas where they can gather underwater dolphin data.

As more data is being collected over time, research is also being done to check the water quality at the time of the sighting and how that correlates with other data. All of these factors can be integrated to help determine the changing health of the bay over time, and see how efforts to make the Chesapeake a healthier habitat for marine life are coming to fruition.

To be a part of these research efforts, log onto DolphinWatch, or follow on Facebook for pictures of the dolphin sightings.

Companies: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

Our services Preferred partners The journalism fund
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

Baltimore is setting a national standard for diversifying its economy

19 tech and entrepreneurship events to check out before the holidays

Tech lab space opening in new 4MLK building, thanks to $2M in public funds

EDA officials are ‘hopeful’ Tech Hubs program will live on under Trump

Technically Media