The Great Southern Bioblitz 2022

It is nearly time for the next Great Southern Bioblitz (GSB) and this year Overstrand will be participating for the second time. Last year, in our first GSB ever, we managed to come second in the entire southern hemisphere – beaten only by Cape Town!

Everyone is invited to participate! No special knowledge or skills are required as engagement, fun and learning are the key principles. This is great for families, kids, organisations and groups – we are all ‘citizen scientists! All you need is the free iNaturalist app to make an account at the website link below.

Just use your phone or camera to take photos of all living things during the days and nights (remember nocturnal animals, moths, etc.) of the event. Once you have a photo or multiple photos of an organism, you can upload it to iNaturalist. Those who can’t join in, but have the knowledge, can assist with identifying all the observations during the 4 days as well as 10 days afterwards.

Anything alive is acceptable e.g., plants, animals, insects, fish, fungi, shellfish, crustaceans, birds etc. and even evidence of living things is acceptable e.g. shells, animal tracks, feathers, scat, bones etc.

Some of you may ask - what is a bioblitz? A bioblitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time – this year it will be from 28 – 31 October. The primary goal of a bioblitz is to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in an area – basically every living thing, other humans, and domestic animals.

The reason we have a Great Southern Bioblitz is because in April of every year a bioblitz takes place internationally (City Nature Challenge or CNC), but this precludes the southern hemisphere from showcasing our Spring, so in 2020 the Australians introduced a GSB so that we can capture the highlights of this season in this half of the world.

Download the app to join the Great Southern Bioblitz 2022 – OVERSTRAND here and read the Project Journal for tips and info and book the dates! Some great places to start are your own backyard, beachcombing the seashore, rockpools, local parks, mountain trails, spotlighting at night, moths around your porch lights at night, rivers, and estuaries and many more! Let’s show the world how diverse our beautiful part of the world is!

The Great Southern Bioblitz (GSB)2022 is upon us. From 28 October to 31 October get out your camera or cell phone and take photographs off anything living from plants to animals, and insects etc.

You then have 10 days to load these photos up to iNaturalist or get someone to assist you with the uploads. Details are all on the Overstrand Bioblitzing Facebook Page.

If everyone just submits 10 or more photos, as we could beat Cape Town this year. So please get out and get snapping. Do not forget marine areas in your quest.

There will be several events offered which you can join over the 4 GSB days to take photos.

Participants at the events to have iNaturalist loaded on their cell phones and to be taking photographs for the Great Southern Bioblitz 2022 for loading to iNaturalist for 10 days after the Bioblitz.

Friday Morning, 28 October 08H30 - Walk from Rotary Way along Jeep track in Fernkloof Nature Reserve to recent area of burn near the Vogelgat border. Phone Di Marais for details and to join the walk 082 462 3624
Saturday Morning, 29 October 10H00 - Spider bioblitz in Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Meet at the Research Centre next to the Fernkloof Nursery. Phone Vic Hamilton Attwell for more details. 082 785 5145
Monday, 31 October 09H00 - Lower slopes of Babylonstoren Mountain above Ataraxia. Meet at Ataraxia at 09H00. Phone Derek for details. 083 448 3338

The Great Southern Bioblitz 2022