Salish Sea BioBlitz!

It’s estimated that there are 37 species of mammals, 172 species of birds, 253 species of fish, and more than 3,000 species of invertebrates call the Salish Sea home. This World Ocean’s Week, we are going to celebrate all of them at the Great Salish BioBlitz! A BioBlitz is a form of citizen-science where community members try to identify as many species as they can in a short period of time. This helps give us a snapshot of an area’s diversity of wildlife, or biodiversity.

Wondering how to join in? It’s easy!

Register for free on Eventbrite to stay connected and get all the links you need to participate
Tune into our live webinars with local experts to discover what you might see during the BioBlitz
Download iNaturalist for your iPhone or Android and sign up for the Salish Sea BioBlitz Project
Go to your nearest beach or coastline on June 13 & 14, and record all the biodiversity you can see! (Remember to respect physical distancing measures and any park closures!)

Schedule:

Monday, June 8 (9:00am) – Biodiversity in the Salish Sea with The Marine Detective & Squamish Waves of Change
Wednesday, June 10 – Bird is the Word! with Caroline Biel from Birds Canada
Friday, June 12 – Marine Mammals with the BC Cetacean Sightings Network

Register for more up-to-date information & events!

FAQ:

Who can participate in the BioBlitz?

What if I don't know anything about biology or the Salish Sea?

Even if you are a newbie beach-comber and don’t know a sand dollar from a nudibranch – you can and should still participate because it’s a great way to get outside and connect with nature. In the week leading up to the BioBlitz, we will be inviting friends onto our Facebook Live to teach us all about some common species that you might see!

iNaturalist is also a great way for people to learn more about plants and animals! If you don’t know what species it is, the app automatically generates suggestions, or you can submit it without a label and it will get identified by other users.

How do I use iNaturalist?

How does this help the Salish Sea?

Important Safety Information

The Salish Sea BioBlitz is an adventure in citizen science! Like all outdoors adventures, there are potential hazards involved.

Please abide by all current COVID-19 protection procedures outlined by the BC Centre for Disease Control to protect yourself and others and to help flatten the curve. These include:

If you’re feeling ill, please stay home
Keep at least 2 metres away from people outside your household
Don’t touch your face and wash your hands frequently
Respect park closures

Make sure you pay attention to your surroundings while you’re out collecting data: be aware and conscious of uneven terrain, rogue waves and riptides. If you are heading out on the beach, make sure you check the tides: there are some beaches and shorelines that get cut-off in high-tide. Although you can (and should) take photos and collect data of unknown plants and animals, please refrain from touching them (some can harm you, you can harm some).

Wear proper footwear and weather appropriate clothing. If it’s hot out: make sure to wear a hat, UV protective clothing, and/or (ecologically sustainable) sunscreen. If it’s cold and/or wet, wear layers and a waterproof shell. Children must have constant adult supervision. If you’re planning to venture into the sea to collect data, make sure you are educated in all potential hazards, have all the appropriate equipment, and use the buddy system. Also, although your smartphone is a necessary part of this adventure, it isn’t waterproof (or maybe it is, but not saltwater proof)!