Asia Nature Challenge 2024's Journal

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/.

Hello fellow naturalists and biodiversity enthusiasts!

We are excited to invite dedicated and passionate individuals and organisations to join as ‘Collaborating Organisers’ for the Asia Natura Challenge 2024. By becoming a Collaborating Organiser, you’ll play a vital role in bringing together nature lovers, scientists and conservationists of your region, helping to document and showcase your region’s diversity. As a collaborating organiser, you will play a vital role in:

•⁠ ⁠Raising awareness in your region about the importance of biodiversity and nature conservation.
•⁠ ⁠Engaging local communities by involving schools, universities, and nature groups in the challenge.
•⁠ ⁠Helping participants understand how to contribute observations and data to INaturalist.

We believe that, together, we can showcase Asia’s biodiversity on a global platform and inspire action towards preserving our natural heritage. Whether you are a seasoned scientist, an educator, or simply someone with a love for nature, your involvement can make a difference.

If you are interested in becoming a collaborating organiser, check out the following link for more details and to fill up the form. Let’s work together to make the “Asia Natural Challenge 2024” the largest celebration of biodiversity in Asia yet!

https://citizenscience.asia/naturechallenge/collaborating-organisers/

Looking forward to connecting with like-minded individuals and making a significant impact together. For any specific questions or queries, please direct them to anc-info@citizenscience.asia.

Join Us for the Asia Nature Challenge Info Session! 🌏

We’re thrilled to invite you to our Asia Nature Challenge info session, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about this exciting initiative and how you can get involved in celebrating and documenting Asia's incredible biodiversity!

🗓️ Date: 8th October 2024
⏰ Time: 8:00 PM HKT | 5:30 PM IST
🔗 Video Call: Zoom (Meeting ID: 825 7125 2121 | Passcode: 311061)

🎙️ Speakers:

Mendel Wong (Co-chair, CitizenScience.Asia) - Introduction to Asia Nature Challenge
Ram Dayal Vaishnav (Project Lead, CitizenScience.Asia) - Various ways to get involved in Asia Nature Challenge
Carlos Velazco (National Geographic Explorer) - How observers, identifiers, and collaborating organisers can contribute to making this initiative a success!
Whether you’re a participant, an organiser, or simply passionate about nature, this session is a great opportunity to learn how we can all work together to make the Asia Nature Challenge 2024 the largest and most impactful celebration of biodiversity yet! 🐦🌺

Let’s make a difference together! Don’t miss out on the chance to contribute to this wonderful initiative.

✨ #AsiaNatureChallenge #CitSciANC2024

Explore, Document, Share, and Contribute to Asia's Largest Citizen Science Initiative.

How to Participate:

• Observe biodiversity in your region.
• Record your findings using photos or sound recordings.
• Upload your observations to iNaturalist.
• Help identify others' observations to contribute to collective knowledge.

Why Join?

• Advance biodiversity conservation efforts across Asia.
• Engage with a community of nature lovers.
• Support scientific research with real-world data.

Event Dates:
October 18-21: Observation Phase
October 22-27: Identification Phase

All observations taken between October 18-21 can be uploaded and identified till October 27.

Where: Across Asia

Who Can Join: Anyone in Asia with a passion for nature!

Sign up here: https://citizenscience.asia/naturechallenge/participants/

All participants making meaningful contributions will receive a recognition certificate.

For more information on the ANC, visit our website here: https://citizenscience.asia/naturechallenge/

We’re thrilled to announce that the Asia Nature Challenge has crossed a huge milestone – over 10,000 species observed on iNaturalist! This incredible achievement was made possible by more than 55,000 observations contributed by over 5,000 dedicated observers from across Asia. 🌏

Your passion and effort have helped us document an amazing range of biodiversity, from tiny insects to towering trees. Each observation contributes to a better understanding of our region’s unique ecosystems.

Thank you for being part of this exciting journey! Let’s continue to celebrate the beauty of Asia’s natural world. Stay tuned for more updates, and keep exploring!

The observation phase of the Asia Nature Challenge is now complete, and it’s time for the next critical step – the Identification Phase, starting tomorrow, October 23.

Your observations have been incredible, and now it’s time to review and identify the species we’ve captured. Whether you’re an expert or just love learning, your participation in this phase is vital for ensuring the accuracy of our data

🕵️ A super exciting opportunity to learn from the Best!

Join us for an exciting expert session on iNaturalist species identification with Debashis Chowdhury , ranked 11th in Asia with over 1.5 lakh identifications!

📅 Date: October 22, 2024
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM IST
🌐 Join us on Zoom:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87371105517?pwd=oZASLeaneisNHWIvsMXxhebs5wdU7N.1
Meeting ID: 873 7110 5517
Passcode: 550604

🔎 Don’t miss this chance to master the art of species identification with one of the best for the #AsiaNatureChallenge. See you there!

Join us as we work together to identify as many species as possible and contribute to conservation efforts across Asia. Let’s keep the momentum going!

So far, 58,800+ observations across 11,500+ species have been documented by 5,300+ observers. Over one-third are already research-grade, but we still need your help to identify the rest! Your contributions are vital to the success of this phase. Let’s continue advancing Asian biodiversity knowledge together.

It's not too late: if you're interested in joining the Asia Nature Challenge as an Identifier, sign up via our website.

You may upload observations taken between Oct 18-21 by Oct 27.

And don’t miss today's Expert Session on species ID with Debashis Chowdhury! Refer to our recent updates for more information on joining the session.