Call to Park Visitors to Participate in Collecting Data on Plants and Animals

Citizen science data is the data on platforms whose goal is to collect information about the flora and fauna with the help of citizens. Species information is stored in the form of lists of plant and animal observations and the lists are free to share. In this way, new approaches to science, conservation and education can be initiated. At the same time, a large amount of collected information helps scientists and experts in research and protection of birds.
For bird watching, there are several programs that offer the possibility of recording the description, number and behaviour of the individual seen species. In addition, there are options for uploading photos and audio recordings, which further contributes to the quality of the data. Birdwatchers can find useful information in the form of real-time species distribution maps and alerts that let them know when species have been spotted.

Here is an overview of the databases that contain the highest numbers of birds observed in the Vransko Lake area and its surroundings:

• eBird is the largest database of its kind, available as both, a mobile app (eBird) and a desktop version. It is simple to use and offers a variety of features.
• iNaturalist is a database that requires observations to be accompanied by a photo. It is also accessible via a mobile app (iNaturalist). It is probably better for plants or slower-moving animals, as only the quickest hands will capture birds in photo.
• Observation.org is the second-largest database after eBird. The connected app, ObsMapp, allows for easy record of observations and is useful for all types of animals and plants.

The student of the Faculty of Science from the Zagreb University, Dora Šmit, who did her internship in the Nature Park Vransko jezero, played a major role in unifying the data collected so far from the aforementioned apps. Her work was of great importance in the processing and systematization data on the biodiversity of this area.

In addition to regular scientific research conducted in the Park, citizen observations also contribute to scientific knowledge and help Park employees in developing more effective conservation measures. Therefore, we invite all visitors to use these apps, as the more data we gather, the more reliable and useful it becomes.