Announcing the Asia Nature Challenge

CitizenScience.Asia is excited to announce the launch of the Asia Nature Challenge (ANC), a continent-wide citizen science event aimed at uncovering Asia’s rich biodiversity through collaborative data collection and observation! This two-part event will bring together participants from across the continent to explore and document the unique flora and fauna that make Asia one of the most diverse regions on Earth.

The challenge will begin with an observation period from October 18-21, where participants are encouraged to head outdoors and capture observations of their surrounding environments. This will be followed by a dedicated identification period from October 22-27, during which participants can team up with experts to identify the species documented during the observation period.

Despite being home to critical ecosystems and high species diversity, Asia currently ranks third among continents in biodiversity observations on iNaturalist. However, when measured by per capita contributions, the region lags behind others, highlighting untapped potential. With over 4.7 billion people, Asia’s population presents an immense opportunity for citizen science contributions to conservation. The ANC aims to bridge this gap by increasing biodiversity records and raising public involvement in conservation through citizen science.

The Asia Nature Challenge will strengthen communities by promoting collaboration among environmental organizations, researchers, and citizen scientists. It will increase capacity for biodiversity research through public awareness and training. Furthermore, the initiative aims to expand international conversations and ensure that Asia’s biodiversity receives the attention it deserves.

We invite you to join the project to stay updated through our journal entries. You can read more about the challenge in our press release at https://citizenscience.asia/journal/announcing-the-asia-nature-challenge/ or visit our website for more information at https://citizenscience.asia/naturechallenge/.

Posted on October 3, 2024 11:24 AM by gurumukhi