Safety and Privacy
We believe that safety and privacy is very important for our citizen scientists, the San Gabriel River sea turtles, and you!
Safety during field observation
Observing wild animals can present a number of variables and challenges. The safety of our citizen scientists is a top priority in the field, so we take special measures to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable observation session. Some of our safety rules include:
Online safety
The Citizen Scientists who participate in our program follow our rules for good digital citizenship, and we hope you will too:
Privacy
The San Gabriel River Sea Turtle Monitoring project and its affiliates will never share volunteer information, including names or email addresses, with any outside or third party. Collected data is recorded anonymously. Volunteers are sometimes asked to be photographed for use on this website or the facebook page. Photographs are always taken with permission, and any volunteer who does not wish to be photographed can decline to be photographed, or can speak to their program leader(s).
Safety during field observation
Observing wild animals can present a number of variables and challenges. The safety of our citizen scientists is a top priority in the field, so we take special measures to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable observation session. Some of our safety rules include:
- All citizen scientists pass a background check before participating in the program.
- Citizen scientists under 15 must have a parent or guardian with them at the observation station.
- At least two volunteers are located at every station, for safety.
- Citizen scientists communicate with team leaders via walkie-talkie.
- Close-toed shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are required (hats are recommended).
- Citizen scientists are encouraged to drink water and stay hydrated when it is warm, and to add layers when it is cold.
Online safety
The Citizen Scientists who participate in our program follow our rules for good digital citizenship, and we hope you will too:
- You may use a nickname or your first name only when posting to our message board. You should never use your full name or identifying information as your display name.
- Please do not post your address, phone number, email, name, or other contact information to our message board.
- Please be polite and courteous to all message board participants.
- Please do identify any of the citizen scientists directly by name online (participants are welcome to tag themselves in pictures on Facebook or other social media, but if they do so, they should make sure they are aware of and comfortable with their privacy settings for sharing tagged pictures).
- If you would like a reply directly, or you have any questions, you can use the Contact page to send a message directly to the Program Leaders.
- If participating in our Citizen Scientist program, please do not tag your location when observing or uploading pictures of the sea turtles, for the safety of the turtles, and to help prevent poaching (poaching can be reported by calling the Californians Turn In Poachers Hotline at:1 888 DFG-CALTIP)
- Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Privacy
The San Gabriel River Sea Turtle Monitoring project and its affiliates will never share volunteer information, including names or email addresses, with any outside or third party. Collected data is recorded anonymously. Volunteers are sometimes asked to be photographed for use on this website or the facebook page. Photographs are always taken with permission, and any volunteer who does not wish to be photographed can decline to be photographed, or can speak to their program leader(s).
Continue Exploring
Our next section for suggested reading covers information about our citizen science program, and how you can become a citizen scientist.