Wildlife detective & Fantastic animals and where to film them

University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies

Campus Livade, Izola (Slovenia), 27 September 2024

Recently, the University of Primorska organised two different citizen science events at the Campus Livade, Izola (Slovenia). The events, titled “Wildlife Detective: Revealing the Invisible Wildlife Around You” and “Fantastic animals and where to film them” were open to primary and secondary school students and teachers. These activities aimed to educate participants on collecting and utilizing wildlife data. 

Moreover, attendees were introduced to the national SRNA app for wildlife data collection, which is in the progress to be updated with eDNA sample collection. The event also featured workshop activities where students were familiarized with the concept of citizen science. They learned how to effectively record wildlife data using the apps, camera traps and eDNA. Overall, the event focused on capacity building and training in biodiversity data collection and citizen science principles.

The “Wildlife Detective: Revealing the Invisible Wildlife Around You” event. Image by: BGE


Goals

The event aimed to educate and empower primary and secondary school students and teachers in the field of different methodological approaches to the collection of biodiversity data. The specific goals included:

  1. Understanding how to collect biodiversity data with CS app, camera traps and eDNA 
  2. Enhancing participants’ understanding of modern genetic and ecological methods for monitoring biodiversity.
  3. Equipping students and teachers with the skills to efficiently collect environmental samples for genetic analysis
  4. Providing the knowledge needed to identify and protect diverse species through molecular data analysis.
  5. Fostering a sense of responsibility and engagement in wildlife conservation efforts among the attendees.

These goals collectively aimed to prepare students and educators to actively contribute to the preservation and management of wildlife and its ecosystems.

Content

Agenda: Wildlife Detective: Revealing the Invisible Wildlife Around You

  1. Welcome and Introduction: Presentation of innovative methods for wildlife monitoring (10 minutes)
  2. DNA metabarcoding bingo (15-20 minutes): Students are provided with sheets containing various DNA sequences and species, and they must determine which species each sequence belongs to. Then, they proceed to explore the species’ ecology, habitats, and everything of interest about the species.
  3. Conclusion (Q&A) (5 minutes)

This program enabled students to engage in a hands-on learning experience where they were given sheets containing a variety of DNA sequences and species, tasking them with identifying the corresponding species for each sequence. Subsequently, students had the opportunity to delve into the ecology, habitats, and all aspects of interest about these species.

Agenda: Fantastic animals and where to film them

  1. Welcome and Introduction: Presentation about CS, usage of Camera traps and SRNA app. Presentation of Slovenian wildlife animals, tracked in SRNA app (15 minutes)
  2. Animal quiz (10 minutes): Students solved a questionnaire with footage of animals and tried to identify them.
  3. Conclusion (reviewing results and Q&A) (5 minutes)

Students learned about the diversity of Slovenian wildlife and gained skills in identifying animals using camera trap footage. This program also highlighted the importance of citizen science and the value of data collected by citizen scientists.

Feedback summary
The feedback summary for the workshop indicates high satisfaction and enthusiasm among both students and teachers. Students gained significant knowledge about Slovenia’s native wildlife species and the importance of their conservation and nature preservation.
However, the workshop organizers faced several challenges during its execution. One significant challenge was the need to tailor each presentation and workshop activity to the specific age group of the students. Additionally, the speed at which different groups completed the workshop varied, particularly in terms of the DNA metabarcoding bingo sections, which required flexibility in timing.
To address these challenges and further improve the workshop with more detailed guidelines. Also managing time variations among different groups could help ensure a smoother and more consistent experience for all participants.

Header: Picture taken at the “Wildlife Detective: Revealing the Invisible Wildlife Around You” event.  Image(s) by: BGE