| Project Hotspot | |
|---|---|
| Project | Project Hotspot |
| Group | Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society |
| Topic | Natural history, Beach and coastal |
| Resources online | yes |
| School sessions | yes |
| Level | Primary, Intermediate, High School |
| Phil Bendle pages | https://www.citscihub.nz/Category:Phil_Bendle_Collection |
| Web address | https://seasense.org.nz |
| Location | |
This Curious Minds project was designed to investigate the distribution and threats to four species in Taranaki,
- Korora/little blue penguins,
- Reef herons,
- Orca
- Seals
Project Overview
Using citizen science to better protect coastal threatened species. If we know more about where coastal threatened species occur we can use this information to better protect them. Help us by reporting your sightings on i-Naturalist and the projects for each species.
Project Partners
The Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society are the lead group and have had many partners, participating school and community assistance during this time. See the Project Hotspot 'Partners' page
Project Report
"Using Project Hotspot findings to better protect"
In addition to providing a resource for the community, the project outputs are also of value to decision makers, government authorities, conservation groups and industry (end users), and relevant to a wide variety of applications including oil spill response, environmental impact assessment and resource management. Improved knowledge of threatened species hotspots enables end users to better implement measures to protect these species.
The maps of each species are automatically updated through I-Naturalist and the recorded behaviours of the animals, or 'dead/alive' helps us to appreciate the threats to each. Orca travelling around the Taranaki coast are an example of how the records may be used.
Resources
- End User Workshop 2
- Komene Workshop
- Plastic Shotgun Wads
- Environmental Award
- End User Workshop
- Bell Block beach clean-up
- Waitara beach clean-up
- Downloadable Resources
- Schools' programme
- Informing Decision-Makers, a presentation to the Ecological Society Conference 2016
Gallery
The images show the individual 'tatoos' on heron legs which can be used to identify the birds.
