My name is Jacob Rocha, and I am an environmental science major at Pfeiffer University. My heart and passions lie in wildlife, specifically conservation. I have experience in wildlife rehab which led me to create this project, combining hands-on conservation with a technological approach using ArcGIS. In collaboration with the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary and Mobilize Green, I have been able to create a project in which I am taking data about the Seaside Seabird Sanctuary's patients, and creating spatialized, easy to digest story maps displaying what can be interpreted from the data. The purpose of these articles is to open up a new eye to the public into wildlife rehab, offering education about birds and proposing solutions to routine human activities.
--Jacob Rocha, 2025
Laughing gull
Who has been to the beach and not encountered these omnipresent birds? Their ability to adapt to human-dominated environments is truly admirable. They are doing their best to get by in the ever-changing landscape. But we don't make it easy for them. Learn more by clicking on their name above.
Brown pelican
One of my very favorite birds, the brown pelican species was almost driven to extinction by the extensive use of DDT as an insecticide in the mid- to late 20th century. As was true for many birds, DDT resulted in very thin eggshells, such that the eggs would break when the parents sat to incubate them. Since the ban of DDT use in the US, pelican populations have rebounded beautifully. This species was removed from the Endangered Species List in 2009. As with many diving birds, pelicans frequently tangle with fishing lines and hooks. Read more about the brown pelican by clicking on the name above.
