A survey of public awareness of the occurrence and diversity of cetaceans in south-west Scotland

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 1101-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.J. Scott ◽  
E.C.M. Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Common Dolphin ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
The Public ◽  
South West ◽  
Tourism Professionals ◽  
Level Of Knowledge

In summer 2001, members of the public in south-west Scotland were interviewed to determine their knowledge of the diversity and occurrence of cetaceans in the region. Interviews were conducted in both rural island and coastal communities and a major city.The majority of interviewees (46%) underestimated the number of cetacean species occurring in western Scottish waters (i.e. <10 species). Only 4·4% gave the correct answer (24). Location of the participant affected the level of knowledge. Photographs were presented of the four most commonly occurring cetacean species: only 30·2% correctly identified one or more of the species. The species most frequently identified correctly was the bottlenose dolphin (19% of interviewees) followed by the harbour porpoise (17·5%), minke whale (10·7%) and, lastly, the common dolphin (7·1%).Interviewees were also asked whether certain cetacean species occurred in local waters or not. The level of awareness was generally low. The most common positive answers involved the bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise, and minke whale. Only one in five were aware of killer whales and 13·1% believed that grey whales occurred in Scottish waters. Knowledge of species occurrence showed statistically significant relationships with age, gender, level of environmental interest and location, but not occupation (teachers, tourism professionals and marine stakeholders did not show greater levels of cetacean knowledge). The study identified target groups and locations where knowledge of cetaceans is low and environmental education efforts should be concentrated.

Cetacean sightings and strandings: evidence for spatial and temporal trends?

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (8) ◽  
pp. 1809-1820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K. Pikesley ◽  
Mathew J. Witt ◽  
Tom Hardy ◽  
Jan Loveridge ◽  
Jeff Loveridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
Common Dolphin ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Key Species

Cetacean species and their habitats are under threat and effective marine management mitigation strategies require knowledge and understanding of cetacean ecology. This requires data that are challenging and expensive to obtain; incidental sightings/strandings data are potential underused resources. In this study, incidental cetacean sightings (N = 6631) and strandings (N = 1856) in coastal waters of Cornwall, south-west Britain (1991 to 2008) were analysed for evidence of spatial and temporal patterns or trends. Eighteen species were recorded sighted and/or stranded; key species were identified as bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) and minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). There were significant decreases in bottlenose dolphin sightings and pod size but an increase in harbour porpoise and minke whale sightings. Cetacean strandings showed a recent decrease over time although there was a significant positive trend in harbour porpoise strandings that correlated with sightings. Incidence of sightings and strandings were both greater on the south coast than the north coast. When Marine Tour Operator data were analysed, distinct species-specific inshore and offshore habitat use was evident. With rigorous interrogation and editing, significant patterns and trends were gained from incidentally collected data, highlighting the importance of public engagement with such recording schemes and the potential of these underused resources.

Do abundance–occupancy relationships exist in cetaceans?

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (8) ◽  
pp. 1571-1581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Hall ◽  
Colin D. MacLeod ◽  
Laura Mandleberg ◽  
Caroline M. Schweder-Goad ◽  
Sarah M. Bannon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Density ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
General Rule ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Average Density ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Common Dolphin ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Density Index

A positive relationship between the number of locations where a species occurs and the average density of individuals across those locations has been found in a wide variety of taxa and has been described as one of the most general and widespread relationships in macro-ecology. However, exceptions to this general rule have been found and this study tested whether abundance–occupancy relationships exist within the cetacean community of the west coast of Scotland. Data were collected in 2003–2006 and occupancy rates were calculated and compared to two density indices (relative density of groups per km2 surveyed and relative density of individuals per km2 surveyed) for four cetacean species (harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin and minke whale). Significant positive intraspecific abundance–occupancy relationships were found for both relative density of groups per km2 and relative density of individuals per km2 for two out of the four cetacean species tested (harbour porpoise and minke whale). When the relationships between the different species were compared, all four were found to conform to the same interspecific relationship when relative density of groups was used as the density index. However, some species were found to conform to different relationships when relative density of individuals was used as the density index, potentially due to differences in social structure between cetacean species. These relationships mean that when cetaceans are at a higher density within an area, they also occupy a greater number of locations and vice versa. The existence of positive abundance–occupancy relationships in cetaceans has a number of potential implications for their conservation and management. In particular, it means that when a potential impact is likely to positively or negatively affect the size of the range of a species or population, such as noise pollution or climate change, it is likely to also affect the species' or population's abundance in the same direction. It also has implications for the design and extent of protected areas, such as marine protected areas; as such relationships could be used to determine the area required to maintain a viable population size.

scholarly journals First aid awareness in the society

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-9
Author(s):  
Ewelina Krzyszkowska ◽  
Bartosz Wanot
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Test Results ◽  
The Public ◽  
Good Level ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Study Population ◽  
On Line ◽  
Level Of Knowledge

Introduction: Every member of the society should possess first aid skills and knowledge thereof. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine public awareness of first aid, sudden cardiac arrest and the Automated External Defibrillator. Material and Methods: The study was conducted using an anonymous and voluntary on-line survey. The study population comprised of 250 subjects. The results were analysed using the t-Student test, F Test and Chi2 test. Results: The analysis of the study results showed that 164 respondents, who gave 9 to 11 correct answers, had a good level of knowledge. 80 respondents had the average level of knowledge, as shown by 6 to 8 correct answers. 6 respondents had insufficient level of knowledge, as they gave less than 6 correct answers to questions included in the survey. Conclusions: The principles and techniques on first aid are known to the public, as indicated by the fact that more than half of the respondents have a good level of knowledge.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND BEHAVIORS TOWARD ANTIBIOTICS OF NON-MEDICAL STUDENTS JOUF UNIVERSITY, SAUDI ARABIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 294
Author(s):  
Gomaa Mostafa-hedeab
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Wrong Answer ◽  
The Public ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge And Attitude ◽  
Previous Prescription ◽  
Higher Doses

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude of non-medical students, Jouf University toward antibiotic.Methods: Data were collected from male and female students using a self-prepared questionnaire then tabulated and analyzed using SPSS program.Results: This study included 1035 students; 573 (55.3%) male and 462 (44.6%) female, aged (21.5±2.2) years. About 533 (51.5%) used antibiotic during the year 2015. 705 (68.12%) of the student display wrong answer regarding the uses of the antibiotic. 53.5% depending on the previous prescription on self-medicated antibiotic (SAM), followed by their experience (14.5%) and pharmacy advice (11.3%). 45.9% did not have any idea about the antibiotic name they used. Majority of the students (62.6%) stop antibiotic once improvement is achieved, whereas (28.1%) complete the course till the end of the last dose. 75.4% of the studied populations saving at least one antibiotic at home while 62.7% sharing antibiotic with others. 35.3% of the studied population did not experienced antibiotic-related side effects, while 19.3% experience nausea. About 57.6% believed that broad spectrum is better than narrow-spectrum antibiotic, 70.4% deny that higher doses enhance recovery, (57.3%) believes that low dose decrease side effect. 51.9% depend on their good medical knowledge for SMA, while 20.3% was to save time, 18.8% dependent on pharmacy expert where only 9% was to save money cost.Conclusion: The majority of the sample had a fair level of knowledge in relation to antibiotics. Initiation of national program and campaigns toward antibiotic uses to raise the public awareness about the hazardous of antibiotic misuse/abuse is essential to decrease the gap between antibiotic use and attitude.

scholarly journals Analisis Pengetahuan Dan Perilaku Masyarakat Di Kelurahan Baru Kotawaringin Barat Tentang Covid 19

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 780-790
Author(s):  
Dyah Restuning Prihati ◽  
Maulidta Karunianingtyas Wirawati ◽  
Endang Supriyanti
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Knowledge Community ◽  
The Public ◽  
Good Level ◽  
The People ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Government ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive ◽  
And Behavior

ABSTRACT: ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOR IN KELURAHAN BARU, WEST KOTAWARINGIN ABOUT COVID 19 Background :Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new type of disease that has never been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 becomes a global health problem in early 2020 ,. The importance of awareness from the public to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19. Knowledge and attitudes from the community become benchmarks for public awareness. Promotional and preventive efforts need to be carried out by health workers, especially the community. The Indonesian government has declared a disaster emergency status related to this virus pandemic. The government made a policy to implement physical distancing to decide the spread of covid 19.Purpose: to analyze the knowledge and behavior of the people in Kelurahan Baru, Kotawaringin Barat about COVID -19Methods: This study used a quantitative descriptive research design with a survey approach in Kelurahan Baru, Kotawaringin Barat. The population in the study was 50 people. The research period was May-June 2020. In this study, researchers collected data using an instrument in the form of a questionnaire covering respondent characteristics, knowledge and behavior.Results: The results of this study indicate that 100% of respondents (50 people) have a good level of knowledge and as many as 23 (46%) of respondents have good enough behavior in preventing COVID-19. Respondent's age, gender and occupation did not have a relationship with behavior in preventing COVID-19. There is a relationship between the education level of respondents and behavior in preventing COVID-19 (p = 0.04).Conclusion: respondents have a good level of knowledge and behavior in preventing COVID-19. There needs to be awareness from the public to comply with health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the role of health workers in socialization and monitoring in the community is important in preventing COVID-19. Keywords: Knowledge, Community Behavior, COVID 19   INTISARI: ANALISIS PENGETAHUAN DAN PERILAKU MASYARAKAT DI KELURAHAN BARU, KOTAWARINGIN BARAT TENTANG COVID 19 Latar Belakang :Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) adalah penyakit jenis baru yang belum pernah diidentifikasi sebelumnya pada manusia. COVID-19 menjadi masalah kesehatan Dunia pada awal tahun 2020,. Pentingnya kesadaran dari masyarakat untuk memutus rantai penularan COVID-19. Pengetahuan dan sikap dari masyarakat menjadi tolak ukur tentang kesadaran masyarakat. Upaya promotif dan preventif perlu dilakukan oleh petugas kesehatan, khususnya masyarakat. Pemerintah Indonesia telah menetapkan status darurat bencana yang terkait dengan pandemi virus ini. Pemerintah membuat kebijakan untuk menerapkan physical distancing untuk memutuskan penyebaran covid 19.Tujuan : untuk menganalisa pengetahuan dan perilaku masyarakat di Kelurahan Baru, Kotawaringin Barat Tentang COVID -19Metode Penelitian: Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif dengan pendekatan survey di Kelurahan Baru, Kotawaringin Barat. Populasi pada penelitian sebanyak 50 orang. Waktu penelitian bulan Mei- Juni 2020. Pada penelitian ini, peneliti mengumpulkan data dengan menggunakan instrumen berupa kuesioner meliputi karakteristik responden, pengetahuan dan perilaku.Hasil: Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa 100 % responden ( 50 orang) memiliki tingkat pengetahuan baik dan sebanyak 23 (46%) responden mempunyai perilaku cukup baik dalam pencegahan COVID-19. Usia responden, Jenis kelamin dan jenis pekerjaan responden tidak memiliki hubungan dengan perilaku dalam pencegahan COVID-19. Terdapat hubungan tingkat pendidikan responden dengan perilaku dalam pencegahan COVID-19 (p =0.04).Kesimpulan: responden memiliki tingkat pengetahuan baik dan perilaku cukup dalam pencegahan COVID-19. Perlu ada kesadaran dari masyarakat untuk mentaati protokol kesehatan dimasa pandemi COVID-19. Selain itu pentingnya peran petugas kesehatan sosialisasi dan pemantauan di masyarakat dalam pencegahan COVID-19. Kata Kunci: Pengetahuan, Perilaku Masyarakat, COVID 19

scholarly journals How Much Do We Know? Assessing Public Knowledge, Awareness, Impact, and Awareness Guidelines for Epilepsy: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 794-807
Author(s):  
O.P. Musekwa ◽  
L. Makhado ◽  
A. Maphula ◽  
J.T. Mabunda
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
The Public ◽  
Inadequate Knowledge ◽  
Boolean Search ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Index Terms ◽  
The Impact

Background: Epilepsy misconceptions are widespread; these influence the quality of life of people living with epilepsy (50 million people worldwide) and their families. Objective: The review’s objective was to highlight the public knowledge and awareness of epilepsy with an emphasis on its impact, gaps, and available guidelines for public awareness. Methods: The search databases included PubMed, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar using keywords, index terms as well as the Boolean search. Twenty-seven studies were included, which yielded three themes and six sub-themes. Results: Three themes emerged from the data: knowledge, beliefs, and awareness of epilepsy, the impact of epilepsy, and epilepsy awareness guide. From these themes, six sub-themes were established. Implications: Generally, people in Africa continue to hold misconceptions about epilepsy. This study shows that there is a need for further research examining the level of knowledge and awareness held in different contexts to develop a means to educate the general public as it has been revealed that there is generally inadequate knowledge and awareness of epilepsy. Furthermore, this study gathers knowledge that is now accessible as a threshold to much-needed research on epilepsy education, awareness and knowledge in Africa.

scholarly journals Patterns and Trends in Cetacean Occurrence Revealed by Shorewatch, a Land-Based Citizen Science Program in Scotland (United Kingdom)

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Gutiérrez-Muñoz ◽  
Alice E. M. Walters ◽  
Sarah J. Dolman ◽  
Graham J. Pierce
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Harbor Porpoise ◽  
The West ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Risso's Dolphin

Shorewatch is a citizen science project, managed by Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), that records the occurrence of cetaceans during regular, standardized watches from a series of locations along the coast of Scotland (United Kingdom). Observer training and a clearly defined protocol help deliver a valuable source of information about cetacean occurrence and activity along the coast. Between 2005–2018, over 52000 watches generated over 11000 sightings of at least 18 cetacean species. Generalized Additive Models based on sightings for the five most commonly sighted species (bottlenose dolphin, harbor porpoise, minke whale, Risso’s dolphin, and common dolphin), at those sites with the longest time series, demonstrated seasonal, geographical and year-to-year differences in their local occurrence and relative abundance. Bottlenose dolphins are mainly present at observation sites located on the east coast of Scotland, being uncommon on the west coast, while harbor porpoise and minke whale are principally present at sites located on the west coast. The seasonality observed in cetacean occurrence is consistent with peak abundance in summer months described by previous studies in the area. Mean depth around the observation sites is the static variable that apparently has the greatest influence on species presence and number of sightings, except for Risso’s dolphin. All the species except bottlenose dolphin showed upward trends in occurrence and number of sightings over the period 2012–2018. Evidence of temporal autocorrelation was found between results from consecutive watches at the same site on the same day as well as between results from consecutive days at the same site. The power to detect declines in local abundance over a 6-year period depends on the underlying sighting rate of each cetacean species, the number of watches performed and the rate of decline. Simulations performed to determine the power to detect a decline suggest that the current intensity of observation effort in some observation sites, of about 2500 watches per year, may offer good prospects of detecting a 30% decline of the most frequently sighted species (95% of the time) over a 6-year period, although a more even distribution of observation effort in space and time is desirable. The data could potentially be used for monitoring and 6-yearly reporting of the status of cetacean populations.

scholarly journals Seasonal dynamics of occurrence and group size of three species of cetaceans (Delphinidae and Phocoenidae) on the southwestern coast of the Black Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-439
Author(s):  
Nastassia Uluduz ◽  
Alexey Yanchukov ◽  
Mustafa Sözen
Keyword(s):  
Group Size ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Seasonal Dynamics ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Common Dolphin ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Fish Prey

The spatial and temporal occurrence of cetaceans in the Black Sea and particularly along its southwestern coastline is poorly studied. Based on a total of 609 encounters, we present the analysis of monthly dynamics of (1) the numbers of cetacean sightings and (2) their group size for all three Black Sea cetacean species: the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) over a continuous period of 29 months (January 2018 - May 2020) from two fixed coastal observation points near the city of Zonguldak, Turkey. Seasonal fluctuations were found in the occurrence of all three species, with peaks in April-May (spring). Similarly, the largest groups of P. phocoena and T. truncatus were recorded in the late spring and early summer period, while D. delphis had a peak in July (summer). In case of the harbour porpoise, we speculate that these variations can be explained by the annual migrations from the northwestern to southern waters of the Black Sea, while the seasonal dynamics of the two Delphinidae species might depend on fish prey availability. While our data were collected locally, the results provide better insight into the ecology of cetaceans within the entire Black Sea.

scholarly journals Cetaceans observed in Suriname and adjacent waters

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijke Nita De Boer
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Seismic Survey ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Common Dolphin ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Spotted Dolphin ◽  
Common Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Delphinus Capensis ◽  
Guiana Dolphin

Very little information exists about the cetaceans in the Guianas: Suriname and its neighboring countries Guyana and French Guiana. During a dedicated cetacean survey carried out from a geophysical seismic survey vessel in the offshore waters of Suriname (May-September 2012), the occurrence of 13 cetacean species was documented and of those, 11 were newly documented for this area. The species observed by the author included sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni), false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), roughtoothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis), Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei), pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) and spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). During transit to the survey area (Trinidad to Suriname) incidental sightings were recorded which included common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) off Trinidad, Stenella sp. off Guyana and Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) at the entrance of the Suriname River. Opportunistic records originating from the periods December 2008-March 2009 and August-October 2012 were forwarded to the author. These records included common bottlenose dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). There is a growing need to identify critical areas for marine biodiversity conservation, both locally and regionally. This paper describes the general occurrence of the cetacean community encountered in Suriname waters in summer. The study revealed that the offshore cetacean community in Suriname is best described as primarily a tropical community, dominated by odontocetes (dolphins and sperm whales). Although the species diversity was relatively high, the overall cetacean relative abundance index (number of animals per 100km effort) was low, which is consistent for tropical equatorial offshore waters. Apart from the sperm whale and the Guiana dolphin, all the other species recorded represent new species records for Suriname. It is recommended that more continuous monitoring in different seasons be carried out in order to gain a better understanding of the occurrence, distribution and status of the different cetacean species within the region. 

scholarly journals Cetacean sightings in Puerto Rican waters: including the first underwater photographic documentation of a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)

10.5597/00246 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 26-36
Author(s):  
Grisel Rodriguez-Ferrer ◽  
Roberto Reyes ◽  
Nicholas M. Hammerman ◽  
Jaaziel E. García-Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Puerto Rican ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cetacean Distribution ◽  
Long Term Studies

Opportunistic encounters by experts and the public (i.e. fishermen, tourists) can be great assets to understanding cetacean distribution, especially in areas where surveys are limited. Sightings of Puerto Rican pelagic cetaceans have been reported in the past, with known seasonality in some species. Within this report, we document sightings for eight species, report new monthly distributions for three of these species, as well as the presence of rough-toothed dolphins close to the coast, and the first underwater sighting of a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) off San Juan, Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, the lack of long-term studies due to limited funding and resources has been an obstacle in determining species diversity and overall health of cetacean populations. However, this note provides evidence that collaboration between marine biologists and citizen-based science is possible and desired, and serves as a valuable resource to protect and conserve native, pelagic, and transient cetacean species around Puerto Rican waters.

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