Wednesday 23 March 2016

Join us for a BioBlitz on 16 April 2016



Scientists know very little about the plants and animals in the Karoo, and there is an urgent need to document the indigenous Karoo flora and fauna. This information will support responsible decision-making around the question of shale gas and other infrastructure development in the area.

What is BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is an event for a short period of time when groups of scientist, naturalists and volunteers conduct a thorough field study to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi and other organisms as possible within a certain area.

BioBlitz date: Saturday 16 April 2016
Venue: Meet at The Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein.
Time: Meet at the hotel at 08:30 sharp. We will return that afternoon.
Bring: Packed lunch, water, sunscreen, hats, comfortable clothes, walking shoes, cameras


RSVP: Dr Theresa Sethusa (t.sethusa@sanbi.org.za) by 31 March 2016

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