The Way to Make Wildlife and the Outdoors an Adventure for Everyone
Citizen science is a collaborative effort between scientists and members of the general public to accomplish a particular scientific goal, such as an assessment of biodiversity in a region.
Properly implemented citizen science efforts require enthusiasm and commitment. The involvement by citizen scientists to assist in determining distribution and abundance patterns of herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) has not been achieved at a national level, although state and regional efforts have demonstrated the value and effectiveness of the approach. For example, the state field guide “Reptiles and Amphibians of Georgia” by John Jensen et al. (2008) used records provided from citizens around the state to determine species distribution patterns.
Motivating members of the general public to become engaged in outdoor adventures
Various reasons can be identified for why citizen science efforts to determine distribution patterns of reptiles and amphibians have been limited, including that herpetofauna comprise “hidden biodiversity.” Even professional herpetologists often have difficulty verifying the presence of common species. Hence, an underlying problem is an attitude that finding a reptile or amphibian in the wild has low probability. Indeed, most people’s experience with herpetofauna in the wild are fortuitous encounters with no planning or expectations.
The goal of the website is to demonstrate how citizen scientists can become effectively involved in herpetofaunal surveys using a variety of techniques accessible to the general public and suitable for sampling reptiles and amphibians. An ultimate goal is to motivate anyone interested in wildlife to become engaged in assessments of local herpetofauna and become supportive of conservation/management efforts for reptiles and amphibians.