About the Karoo BioGaps Project

About the project

Karoo BioGaps Project: Filling biodiversity information gaps to support development decision-making in the Karoo

There is a historical lack of biodiversity data for the Karoo.  The Karoo BioGaps Project aims to mobilise foundational biodiversity data to advance our scientific understanding of valuable Karoo ecosystems to support decision-making around the question of shale gas and other infrastructure development in the area. 

The current paucity of biodiversity data will be addressed through:
1) integrating and upgrading existing species data located in museums and herbaria, and 
2) conducting detailed surveys for 11 representative taxonomic groups in areas targeted for shale gas exploration.

Karoo grasshopper

The 11 taxonomic groups are: plants, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles; as well as six invertebrate groups: bees, dragonflies, grasshoppers, scorpions, butterflies and spiders.


More information about the project is on www.sanbi.org/biogaps