Like the first event in Madeira, in April, SEO in Canary Islands and SPEA in Azores organised a scientific biodiversity inventory initiative in a specific location, with the aim of promoting conservation and knowledge of the local fauna and flora – a Bioblitz.
It was in May, in the Canary Islands, that the first Bioblitz of the LIFE Natura@night project took place on Las Arenas beach, in Tenerife. Well-known experts such as José Casanova, Silvia Fajardo, Juan Carlos Rando and Elena Ramos led the observations of birds, insects, bats and flora. The records of these observations are now available on the citizen science platform, iNaturalist.
In São Miguel, Azores, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of SPEA Açores and the 15th anniversary of the Priolo Environmental Centre, around 50 participants gathered for two days of activities, in a Biodiversity Weekend, where the highlight was the Bioblitz. The SPEA Azores team, along with experts such as Renato Calado, led the identification of several species, including plants, birds, bats, insects, aquatic macroinvertebrates and nocturnal butterflies. More than 30 species were recorded during the event at the Cancela do Cinzeiro Recreational Forest Reserve, Northeast.
The Bioblitz in the Canary Islands and the Azores were important activities to promote awareness and knowledge of the biodiversity of these unique regions.
SPEA thanks all those involved and intends to organise more events throughout the LIFE Natura@night project, encouraging the mapping of biodiversity on the iNaturalist platform.
