The Saluki BioBlitz is an annual 24-hour challenge to document biodiversity across SIU’s Carbondale campus. At a BioBlitz, students, faculty, staff, scientists, families, and the general public work together to get a snapshot of an area’s biodiversity. Using the iNaturalist platform, participants create digital records of which species are found (and not found!) on campus. The event is a great way to document and learn about the biodiversity across campus while contributing to the Pease Lab’s and SIU Forestry Program’s ongoing efforts of documenting biodiversity across the region.

The 2022 BioBlitz has ended.

Check back in July 2023 for details on the 2023 Saluki BioBlitz!

FAQ

What is a BioBlitz: A BioBlitz is an organized challenge to document biodiversity (plants, animals, fungi, etc.) in a specific area over a short period of time, usually 24 hours.

How do I participate? Participation is easy! Using iNaturalist, participants submit photos of species found. Any iNaturalist observation occuring on SIUC’s campus during August 19th, 2022 will automatically be added to the Saluki BioBlitz project.

Who can participate? Anyone! A BioBlitz is a great way for anyone to learn about the species in their area. You do not need to be a student, faculty, or staff to participate - anyone from anywhere can help document biodiversity on SIU’s campus.

What if I don’t know what I am observing? No problem! All observations submitted on iNaturalist are validated by the iNaturalist community and will be ID’ed to the highest taxonomic classification possible. Just submit observations that include a photo and the online community will help! Over 100 million observations have been validated on iNaturalist.

What should I bring? No special equipment is needed! Just bring your smart phone, some water, binoculars if you have them, and your curiosity! All observations can be submitted thhrough the iNaturalist website via an app on your smartphone.