HK BioBlitz
24-hour collaborative wildlife search
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During the BSAP consultation we realised other NGOs were open to big collaborative projects such as a BioBlitz but someone needed to coordinate. Our new NGO friends said, why don't you do it? So we did!
In 2015 TTT organised HK's first ever "BioBlitz" with a grant from the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF), Environmental Education and Community Action (EECA) projects.
A BioBlitz is a 24-hour race to identify as many species as possible in your chosen area. It's fun and frantic, collaborative and colourful, inclusive and family friendly, part science lab, part exhibition, part expert reunion.
Students from 20 school groups joined student volunteers from the Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) and experts from 12 universities and NGOs, working through the day and night to identify an astonishing 680 species in Tai Tam Tuk.
Notable findings included a diversity of coral on HK island, first record of juvenile horseshoe crabs on Hong Kong island, and a rare mangrove moth!
Moving forward from 2015 we wanted to share our knowledge and let anyone- teacher, Scout troop, parent- feel confident that they could organise their own BioBlitz, wherever they were in Hong Kong.
In 2017 with a grant from AFCD's Biodiversity Education Subvention, TTT organised HK's first "paperless" BioBlitz using a different species ID app, iNaturalist. Basecamp was the beautiful grounds of the Senior Staff Quarters, the Tai Tam Tuk White House.
We were so honoured that Dr Jim Flegg OBE and his wife Caroline flew to Hong Kong to join our BioBlitz. Dr Flegg is a world-renowned bird expert, and also grew up in the White House!
Once again some 400 students from 20 school groups and Scout Troops joined student volunteers from IVE and experts from universities and NGOs to identify species.
Notable findings included a spider not seen before in Hong Kong (or possibly anywhere else!), and first record of a common seahorse (IUCN Vulnerable) off HK island.
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