Cedric Cruz | Contributor
Featured Image: York BioBlitz focuses on bringing together community members and experts in the field to identify species living at the Keele campus. | Basma Elbahnasawy
On September 22, students and researchers came together at York’s Keele campus for BioBlitz, a global initiative that fosters community engagement with experts to discover and learn more about the various wildlife that co-exists alongside us.
The objective of this event was to record and identify wild animal and plant diversity on campus using the iNaturalist app. The information gathered was then used to update databases. The sessions were facilitated by expert researchers in the field of biology, ranging from graduate students to faculty members, intent on giving them a genuine taste of field research.
There were 258 observations made and 126 species were identified, ranging from a multitude of mammals, fish, arachnids, mollusks, insects, plants, and birds.
“I had such a wonderful time volunteering for BioBlitz’s bird group. My favourite part, hands-down, was holding a Red-breasted Nuthatch in my hand—one of the most breathtaking experiences ever. My teacher’s assistant suggested I volunteer for BioBlitz after taking an entomology course over the summer, and I’m so glad that I did,” says Adam Retsinas, a fourth-year Biochemistry student.
“The turnout was fantastic—BioBlitz was incredibly engaging for the students, and I could tell a lot of them had fun! For running their first year, York BioBlitz did an amazing job! I want to congratulate everyone for their work,” he adds.
“The purpose of BioBlitz is to engage all York community members and give them the chance to get outdoors, learn something new, and connect with nature,” said Amanda Liczner, a PhD student in the Department of Biology, in the Faculty of Science.
She continued, “some people may be surprised to find that urban environments, such as the York campus, are home to many species of plants and animals.”
The York BioBlitz website is currently asking participants to send them any pictures they would like to share.
