28587 HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seals on Social Media Data Set Published / External 6786 HMSRP Hawaiian Monk Seal Anthropogenic Interactions Metadata Portfolio Project Completed 2018-02-23 As social media platforms develop, they potentially provide valuable information for wildlife researchers and managers. NOAA’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program (HMSRP) is exploring how social media can help scientists understand the biology, ecology and threats to this endangered species. By using the media sharing and social networking service Instagram, we extracted pertinent data while disseminating information and inspiring support for Hawaiian monk seals. Specifically, we investigated how Instagram could: 1) expand our normal data set by identifying individual animals not detected by standard methods, 2) help categorize type and severity of human interactions, 3) provide early warning of concerning seal behaviors, and 4) help assess public perceptions of monk seals. We searched the keyword #monkseal examining a total of 640 public posts from a possible 8,808 available. From these, seals were individually identifiable in 80 posts representing 15.6% of the subpopulation and approximately 108 human-seal interaction events ranging from close approaches to physical interactions. The nature of comments on posts indicated that the general public attitude towards seals is less than 1% negative and that self-policing sometimes occurs on inappropriate posts. Besides gaining information, we were also able to advise the public about seals of concern and solicit information to aid HMSRP’s emergency response. Maximizing benefits on social media requires consideration and tact, especially when promoting a collective mind-shift like responsibly coexisting with wildlife. This relatively new tool has the potential to yield vast amounts of data and soon, developments will streamline data collection, utilization and sharing. Science and technology continue to evolve, and wildlife programs should take advantage of progressive and broadly inclusive tools like social media for the benefit of species conservation. HMSRP is exploring how social media can help scientists understand the biology, ecology and threats to this endangered species. By using the media sharing and social networking service Instagram, we extracted pertinent data while disseminating information and inspiring support for Hawaiian monk seals. one excel sheet Public information on social media platform Instagram. Theme Social Media Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Honolulu HI USA 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg 176, Honolulu, HI 96818 H:\MHI_hms\Outreach Data Set MS Excel Spreadsheet As Needed Table (digital) Hawaiian monk seal sighting and human-seal interaction data extracted from Instagram postings ENT Table:SOCIAL_MEDIA MS Excel Spreadsheet MS Excel Spreadsheet MS Excel Spreadsheet 36625 Social_Media Published / External Completed . Data Table Yes . 1 people_in_frame NUMBER 22 No No Active Distance in feet from seal of people visible in the frame of the Picture/video. Acceptable values are 0-3. 0=no or unknown, 1=0-10, 2=10-50, 3=50+ NUMBER feet 0-3 2 photogs_distance NUMBER 22 No No Active Photographer's distance from seal in feet. Acceptable values are 0-3, 0=no or unknown, 1=0-10, 2=10-50, 3=50+. NUMBER feet 0-3 3 posters_attitude_towards_seal NUMBER 22 No No Active Posters' attitude towards seal. Units for values are 0=no comment, 1=positive, 2=negative, 3=neutural. Acceptable values are 0-3. NUMBER 0=no comment, 1=positive, 2=negative, 3=neutural 0-3 4 comment_attitude_towards_seal NUMBER 22 No No Active Commentor's attitude towards seal. Units for values are 0=no comment, 1=positive, 2=negative, 3=neutural. Acceptable values are 0-3. NUMBER 0=no comment, 1=positive, 2=negative, 3=neutural 0-3 5 pic_video NUMBER 22 No No Active Picture or Video. Units for values are 1=pic 2=vid. Acceptable values are 1,2. NUMBER 1=pic 2=vid 1,2 6 ig_name NUMBER 3 No No Active A number corresponding to the Instagram ID of the poster. TEXT 7 location NUMBER 22 No No Active Location of picture/video. Units for values are 0=unknown, 1=island, 2=beach. Acceptable values are 0-2. NUMBER 0=unknown, 1=island, 2=beach 0-2 8 post_date DATE 22 No No Active Date picture/video was posted. DATE 9 number_of_seals NUMBER 22 No No Active Number of seals in the picture/video. NUMBER 10 ID TEXT 255 No No Active Id of the Seal in the post. 0 = no. TEXT 11 size_sex TEXT 255 No No Active Size and sex of the seal in the post. Formated as [SIZE]/[SEX]. Units for values are 0=UNKNOWN/UNKNOWN. Size codes: A = adult; S = subadult; J = juvenile; W = weaned pup; P = pup. Sex codes: M = male; F = female; U = unknown. TEXT 0=UNKNOWN/UNKNOWN 12 Seals_behavior NUMBER 22 No No Active Seals' behavior. Units for values are 0=none, 1=looking, 2=mouthing, 3=moving. Acceptable values are 0-3. NUMBER 0=none, 1=looking, 2=mouthing, 3=moving 0-3 13 analyzer_initials TEXT 255 No No Active Initials of person analyzing the post. TEXT 14 analyzed_date DATE 22 No No Active Date Analyzed. DATE 15 disturbance_notes TEXT 255 No No Active If disturbance, human's behavior. Seal foraging. Unusual seal behavior. Concerns. TEXT Data Steward 2015-10-01 Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Distributor 2019-05-24 Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://ror.org/02apffz65 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5360 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Online Resource 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Distributor 2014-10-01 Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Metadata Contact 2014-10-01 Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Point of Contact 2025-11-11 Person Barbieri, Michelle M michelle.barbieri@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5734 Point of Contact 2014-10-01 Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Ground Condition -180 -150 30 10 Hawaiian Archipelago, Pacific Region Range 2014-10-01 2015-09-30 Unclassified NMFS/PIFSC, Protected Species Division, Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program Data Access, Sharing, and Dissemination Guidelines Data are available by following the URL provided in this metadata record. The requester is asked to submit a request to Mark Sullivan (mark.sullivan@noaa.gov) and work with him and other PIFSC Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program staff to assure proper use of this data. public https://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/xfer/PIFSC_PIRO_bulk_data_download_InPort_28587.tgz 2019-05-24 Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center https://ror.org/02apffz65 PSD_HMSRP_social_media.csv This accession contains a table of Hawaiian monk seal sighting and human-seal interaction data extracted from Instagram postings during the period 2014-10-01 to 2015-09-30. Postings by the public were searched using the keyword #monkseal and analyzed to 1) expand seal sighting data by identifying individual animals not detected by standard research methods, 2) help categorize the type and severity of human - seal interactions that are occurring, 3) provide early warning to researchers and managers if an individual seal is developing concerning behaviors, and 4) help assess public perceptions towards monk seals. These data are used to support NMFS monk seal recovery efforts in the main Hawaiian Islands. csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov/xfer/PIFSC_PIRO_bulk_data_download_InPort_28587.tgz Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) (2019-05-24 - Present) Other using organization URL 2015-11-09 finished Sullivan, Mark S project finished for now. 2015-11-10 None none Current. On public social media. Data from public is always questionable. Analytical accuracy was not measured. Data may change as public owners see fit. Accurate at time of collection. mitigated by data leader Data quality control issues were mitigated by data leader. Yes 0 Yes No Instagram - public none Data not delayed. Remains publicly accessible. To Be Determined none on secure network 10/1/2014 - 9/30/2015 Public postings on the internet Organization Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Originator 1 Search internet using keywords Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Public postings on the internet 2 Categorize postings with monk seal content and enter into spreadsheet Person Sullivan, Mark S mark.sullivan@noaa.gov 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA (808)725-5727 Public postings on the internet 2015-11-10 Sullivan, Mark S Is all of the data public and was it all obtained by browsing public accounts on Instagram by searching #monkseal? Yes 36625 Entity gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:28587 Thea Johanos 2015-11-06T22:10:19 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2025-12-03T01:00:28 2018-07-27 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5300 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 1001 Public No No 2018-07-27 1 Year 2019-07-27