Be a Scientist with your Smartphone
Scientifically cataloguing Banghoek’s biodiversity. As custodians of a rare and pristine area of fynbos it is now time to plan and manage our conservation efforts. We start with a plan to scientifically catalogue all of Banghoek’s natural organisms (with global co-ordinates!) – in the past a daunting, and yes, impossible task.
But now, not so. We have an app.
For this, we thank Tony Robelo of Sanbi. On 18 July 2021 Tony created for us a Banghoek space on iNaturalist, one of the world’s most popular nature apps. iNaturalist helps us identify our plants, animals and organisms, connecting us scientifically to 1.8 million (2020) amateur and professional naturalists who map and share the world’s global diversity. How wonderful for Banghoek to be part of this scientific effort.
Note, in the case of birds, you might not have a picture; simply upload the name, and the cataloguing of that bird to Banghoek is automatic – the app will provide a picture.
How it works
1. Watch tutorial (2 mins)
2. Download the phone app
3. Open the app > take picture > upload
That’s it! Everything else – the cataloguing, the correct naming, the co-ordinates – is automatic.
Save data and avoid signal issues in the remote corners of Banghoek by setting the app to work offline, and then sync it when you get to your wifi. Have fun as you upload and identify your photographs; know that you are part of history by adding to the world body of knowledge. And who knows, you (and Banghoek) might even become famous when you discover a rare or undiscovered organism.
Let’s do this! Currently on the iNaturalist Banghoek site, the picture selection is poor – so let’s see what we can do by the end of this year. Spring will bring the most beautiful show due to the recent fire.
For camera buffs upload your pictures like this…
Your pictures have coordinates, so it is quite easy:
- Go to iNaturalist.org
- Check that you are logged on
- Click the green upload button on top right of the top menu bar
- In your picture directory, highlight your pictures and grab and drag them to the “upload” page
– If any pictures are from the same place and time for the same organism, drag the one card on top of the other to make a multi-photo observation.
– Make any IDs if you want to.
– On the window on the left you can bulk edit. So, select all. Click on the details tab and click on the pin (location tab – 3 down)
– In the place at the bottom right type “Banghoek PNR” (you can even add your house name if you want or alternatively names for places on the reserve where the pictures were taken)
– Please in the “Location Accuracy box put in your accuracy (if by cell phone, the accuracy is about 10m). Don’t touch the coordinates – if you do you will overwrite the place.
– Save - Click the green submit button and follow any prompts.
Go for it!