Becoming a Citizen Scientist is a great way to help monitor flora and fauna in regions that you live and visit. From recording the birds, fish, dolphins and species you observe to joining special events and workshops, citizen science projects can be diverse.

If you’re out snorkelling and spot a manta ray or a sea turtle, or walking a headland and see some dolphins, or strolling on the beach and spy some birds, or even scrutinising some mangroves on your way to the market, all of these are opportunities to be a citizen scientist! 

 

What is Citizen Science? 

Citizen science is basically when everyday people help scientists by sharing their own sightings and observations. Whether it’s spotting wildlife, noticing changes in the environment, or logging what you see while you’re out and about, those on-the-ground observations become valuable data for researchers. It’s an easy way for anyone to support real science just by paying attention to the world around them.

 

How can you get involved? 

There are so many ways to be a citizen scientist! Here’s just a few of the projects operating locally to get you started – most of these just require you to snap and upload a photo via an app or website, but there’s also workshops, walks and events where you can learn more. Head to the relevant websites to learn more or get more involved, and sign up for our newsletter to make sure you hear about our citizen science events: 

 

Byron Bird Buddies – join a bird survey (newcomers welcome) to enjoy one of Australia’s best bird regions and participate in citizen science conservation, monitoring and education. The full program of dates and locations you can join in is on their website. 

 

Coral Watch – monitor local coral health while snorkelling or diving using the CoralWatch survey method. You can learn how and apply to get all the necessary tools (the Coral Health Chart & datasheet) through their website. 

 

Dolphin Watch – submit your dolphin sightings or join a training workshop or community survey to to assist in understanding the long-term status, ecology and protection of local dolphin populations. This can be done by yourself anytime just by spotting dolphins and recording the details, or join an event to learn more and be part of the community. 

 

Happy Whale – submit your photos of whales to the website to add to our knowledge of their migration, life history and more. The underside of the humpback whale’s tail is like a fingerprint, so your photo will be matched to known individuals and used for research, you can also track those whales movements in the future. 

 

iNaturalist – help monitor the species and habitats in the region by logging sightings of marine and coastal fauna and flora, providing a record of biodiversity over time. All you need is a camera (phone cameras are fine) and the iNaturalist app or website, then join our Byron Bay Hope Spot project. 

 

Project Manta – submit your photos, videos and observations of manta rays to the database to gather critical knowledge to support the long-term conservation of manta rays and their relatives. This can be done anytime you’re snorkelling or diving – you just need the date, location and photos or videos. 

 

Sharkbook – upload your shark photos or videos to help scientists identify individual leopard sharks, grey nurse sharks, even wobbegongs, moray eels and other species, building a clearer picture of their movements, health and population trends. Any time you’re out snorkelling, diving or even on a boat, you can contribute simply by noting the date and location and capturing clear images of the shark’s markings (like spot patterns or fin shapes). Your sighting becomes a valuable data point that directly supports research and the long-term protection of these vulnerable animals.

 

TurtleWatch – walk your local beaches from November to March, looking for the presence or absence of sea turtle tracks and nests. Learn more at the website and download the app to get started. 

 

Want to get more involved? We have a list of some of the opportunities for citizen science and volunteering in the Northern Rivers on our Volunteer Hub page. Do you have your own citizen science project you’d like us to share, or a cool local project we’ve missed? Just get in touch, we’d love to keep adding to our list! 

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