African Wildlife & Environment Issue 83

CONSERVATION

repeated samples from selected areas (pentads) to provide temporal trend data, and ‘wide’ to encourage coverage of spots usually not visited by birders. The length of time the project has been running for provides invaluable data on population changes, and there are multiple methods for predicting range and abundance. Although the sampling domain is course (the pentad), the partnership with BirdLasser, the most popular app for participating in SABAP2, means that GPS positions for bird sightings can be obtained.

This information is accessible to BirdLife South Africa through participating in the ‘Threatened Species’ cause and has been crucial for fine scale habitat suitability modelling which feeds into government decision-making tools. Participation in citizen science projects does not have to be ‘either-or’. If we take as premise that SABAP2 is currently providing the biggest science and conservation bang for buck (or rand) in South Africa, then there is ample scope to nest eBird and

iNaturalist into an atlassing expedition. Species accumulation happens usually mostly rapidly over the first few hours of any birding effort, with diminishing returns with added time after a certain period. So, for instance, if you are ‘going deep’ then the first day of your home pentad you’ll most likely have most species covered, with added days for tracking down the ’rares and specials’. This is a lot of time for taking photographs for iNaturalist (value here is the confidence for a photographic record, lacking in a list), and doing shorter eBird lists. Here there are no time constraints, so you can rack up eBird list after eBird list, e.g., one while drinking your morning coffee (a ‘stationary’ checklist), and one on your afternoon walk (a ‘travelling’ checklist). These types of records are very much aligned to the standard monitoring protocols used by ornithologists: point counts and transects and have proven globally useful in answering a range of biodiversity, ecological, and conservation questions. The world is amid significant challenges around biodiversity – a crisis that is intertwined with climate change, human well-being, our need for successful economies, and long-term sustainability. To best address these challenges we need data to understand what is going, why, and what might happen in the future. So, we need Lots of data: information that is precise and relevant at global, national, provincial and local scales. Citizen science provides an incredible data source that is increasingly valuable for decision-making across broad scales and topics. And the best part? It all starts with you.Thank you.

Red-headed Weaver (Photograph: John Wesson)

18 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 83 (2023)