Rallying the Masses: Citizen Science In India. In Conversation with The Goan Bird Conservation Network
Goa, india, is home to many endemic species. annie discusses the concept of citizen science with the goan bird conservation network as a way for the state to grow and make informed urban development decisions.
Illustration by Nathalie Dickson.
While Goa may be the smallest Indian state, it is teeming with wildlife. A large part of Eastern Goa is part of the Western Ghats, a region that is recognised by UNESCO as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity. This diverse habitat from the coastal plains to the mid highlands and the Western Ghats is home to flora and fauna that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. But in the wake of industrialization and urbanization, this stunning landscape has come under threat. An eco-friendly way for the state to continue to grow is by using biodiversity survey data to make informed urban development decisions.
An example of this is the Indian government’s plan to make Goa’s capital, Panjim, a “smart city”. To do this effectively, city planners needed to know more about the city’s biodiversity hotspots so that they could structure biodiversity-safe urban development plans. This is where organisations that empower their communities to participate in citizen-led science initiatives come into the picture. The Goan Bird Conservation Network (GBCN), is a non-profit organisation made up of a group of enthusiastic birders from the state that came together to raise awareness about the conservation of Goa’s bird biodiversity.
“Our primary objective was to inculcate a love for birds and their habitats in the general public. Birding can be an enjoyable hobby and when birders band together, they can generate stellar data on bird populations and diversity. Citizen science, when regulated and used well, has immense potential” said Parag Rangnekar, one of the first members of the GBCN, to Bloom in Doom.
The GBCN is an official partner of the Bird Count India Consortium and mobilizes citizen scientists (members of the public collecting scientific data) to document bird habitats and diversity. Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts come together to collect biodiversity data for projects, much like the one to make Panjim a smart city. The data they collect is logged on eBird, an online database of bird observations. It is a treasure trove for scientists and amateur naturalists alike, providing real-time data on bird distribution and abundance. In 2011, this eBird data was instrumental in declaring the Navelim wetland an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), these areas are formally recognised in national legislature as important sites that should be given special consideration during land-planning and development processes. In total, the GBCN’s data has helped declare four IBA regions in Goa.
The Asian Waterbird Census is another of the GBCN’s long term projects. In association with Wetlands International, they conduct planned surveys of the North and South Goan wetlands. This ensures that the survey is well structured and that skilled birders are available in the survey regions to collect quality data. The long term study will help draw inferences on Goa’s bird biodiversity and help scientists monitor the health of these wetlands.
“Surveys like this one, with the Goan Forest Department, have helped influence and direct policy in protected areas. One of our newer projects is the All-Goa Forest Bird Count. It happens not only in protected forest areas, but also in areas with abundant diversity, and is a long term survey project. It’s about 2 years old now and will help delineate forest bird population hotspots to better understand which areas need to be protected from development.” said Parag. This is the crux of why citizen science is so important, it is a great way to mobilize the public to collect large amounts of data over a long period of time and create public awareness about the state’s delicate ecosystem at the same time.
So how can you help? The easiest way to begin is by documenting the biodiversity you see all over the world on iNaturalist or eBird if you’re a bird lover. The Great Backyard Bird Count is another great way to be a citizen scientist from the comfort of your backyard. And although this year’s count is already over, the next one will be held between February 18–21, 2022. Just enough time to get really good at IDing birds! Zooniverse is another citizen science platform with lots of projects that you can get involved in, from identifying distant galaxies to identifying wild beluga whales.
Thank you to Nathalie Dickson for her beautiful illustration. You can find more of her work on her Instagram @nathalied_art.
Annie Megan Santamaria
Annie is an MSc. graduate from the University of Exeter with interests in disease evolution. She is passionate about her research and aspires to make a positive impact on human and animal welfare. Annie was a part of the editorial team at Gubbi Labs where she managed an online science news journal and created graphics, podcasts and wrote pieces on scientific developments. Her goal is to bridge the gap between the researcher and the public by making science more accessible and easy to understand.