Great Australian Wildlife Search
For the 'Great Australian Wildlife Search' (GAWS) project, commissioned by Odonata Foundation, I was tasked with designing and building a web app that enabled users to participate in a citizen science initiative. The goal was to help pinpoint the habitats of threatened species through eDNA analysis, using water samples collected from designated sites.
Objective
The web app was designed to streamline the entire process for users. It allowed participants to select a water sampling location via a reservation map. After securing their site, users received an email containing all the necessary instructions and the schedule for their Test Kit shipment.
Process
Participants conducted water sampling between October 1 and November 30, 2023. They simply chose a convenient date within this period to visit their selected site, collect two water samples, upload the relevant data to the web app, and send the physical samples back to the lab for analysis.
Outcome
This new web app contributed to the most successful GAWS outcome to date.
The results included;
- 144 species detected
- 5,905 individual detections
- and the identification of 17 threatened species, such as the endangered Silver Perch and the vulnerable Murray Cod.
Additionally, 26 invasive species were detected, further highlighting the importance of this initiative.
