Spatio-temporal trends and human-interaction evidence on marine mammals and sea turtles stranded in the northeastern Aegean Sea, Greece

The anthropogenic impacts on marine wildlife populations are growing worldwide, causing an alarming rise in animal-human interactions. The current report relies on monitoring indicator species, such as sea turtles, pinnipeds, and cetaceans, to assess marine ecosystem health in the northeastern Aegean Sea. A total of 113 specimens from 5 species of marine mammals, including dolphins and monk seals, and 2 species of sea turtles, found stranded along the coastlines of Samos, Lipsi, Ikaria, and Agathonisi Islands, Greece, between 2017 and 2022 were analyzed for spatial and temporal patterns and trends, as well as for evidence of human interactions. These findings highlight the power of stranding records to detect potentially vulnerable population groups in time and space. This knowledge is vital for conservation purposes, as it can guide the implementation of protection measures such as establishing time-area-specific limits to potentially harmful human activities, aiming to reduce the number and intensity of human-wildlife conflicts.