Communication Attempt (Kuks, Quaas, Moans)

Physical Activity (Running, Chasing, Climbing)

Tail Signal (Tail flags, Tail twitches)

Dinner time! (Eating, Foraging)

Visualization Overview

This interactive map visualizes squirrel encounters in a park. Each encounter is represented by icons that denote various activities such as communication attempts, physical activities, tail signals, and feeding behaviors. Users can filter the visualization based on the encounter rank, which adjusts the visibility of the icons on the map.

Dataset: NYC Central Park Squirrel Census: Data for 3,023 squirrel sightings in Central Park during 2018

Design Elements

• Marks: Represented by icons (images) on the map.
• Channels: Spatial position corresponds to the actual geographic location of the squirrel encounters. Color and shape of icons represent different behaviors.
• Interactions: Users can interact with the map by changing the encounter rank through a dropdown, which dynamically updates the visible data. Hovering over any icon shows a tooltip with detailed information about the encounter.

Category of Custom Visualization

This visualization falls into the "Combinatorial" category of custom visualization. It integrates multiple data visualization methods: geographic mapping, iconographic representation, and interactive filtering. This combinatorial approach allows a more nuanced understanding of data through the use of spatial and categorical representations along with interactive elements.