Members of the general public are invited to become scientists for a day at the Cabrillo National Monument BioBlitz April 26-27. A BioBlitz is a concentrated effort to discover and document as many species of plants, animals, and other organisms in a 24-hour time period. This will help map the biodiversity of San Diego’s only national park and can be used as a tool to measure impacts and changes over time. This “snapshot” of biodiversity is a way to connect the community with science and the outdoors in an interactive and engaging way.
This year’s BioBlitz is a 24-hour affair in conjunction with the City Nature Challenge, where cities across the world compete for the highest number of species and observations. It’s like a scavenger hunt where participants catalog real organisms that are used in real scientific research. Participants will use the free app iNaturalist to gather data and document observations of plants and animals. Scientists from around the globe look at the data gathered for information on species distribution, abundance, and other population demographics.
The park is open to the public every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., however researchers with a special use permit will be gathering data throughout the 24-hour period, affording an excellent opportunity to learn more about insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, bats, small mammals, and tidepool creatures with leading scientists in their fields.
An optional BioBlitz training will be held on 3 p.m. Friday, April 26, and 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27 for volunteers who are interested in joining. For questions or to sign up for the event, email Samantha Wynns at [email protected].