Citizen scientists are being called on to help protect the Great Barrier Reef.
As part of the Great Reef Census, hundreds of reefs across the Great Barrier Reef were surveyed and tens of thousands of images were collected.
Between 13 April and 20 June, citizen scientists are encouraged to help analyse the images on a new and engaging platform.
The platform allows users to view the images and asks them to identify different types of coral.
The data collected will help fill information gaps and support Reef protection actions, such as Crown of Thorns Starfish control.
The annual Great Reef Census has become one of the world’s largest marine citizen science efforts.
It brings together communities, First Nations peoples, tourism operators, divers, conservationists, fishers and scientists to survey the Reef and gather data.
Managing the Reef is a big, complex job. Collective action is key and everyone has a role to play. The census is a great example of citizen scientists doing their part.
The Great Reef Census is a Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef project in partnership with The University of Queensland, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, James Cook University, Dell Technologies, Sahaj Software and the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
It is funded by Cotton On Foundation, Prior Family Foundation, The Sapphire Project, the Australian Government’s National Environment Science Program and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre.
It is also funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The campaign partners are Rethink Everything, Disney, Mars and Mindshare.
