30 days to go: 130 projects ready for the Great Southern BioBlitz 2026
The countdown is on! In just 30 days, people across Africa, Oceania and South America will come together for the Great Southern BioBlitz 2026, celebrating biodiversity by recording the wildlife around them on iNaturalist.
So far, 130 projects across 22 countries and territories are represented in our organiser list. From local neighbourhoods and regional landscapes to national projects, each offers a way to explore, share discoveries and contribute to a collective picture of biodiversity.
Make observations from 27–30 November 2026, using your local dates and times. Upload your observations and help with identifications until 14 December 2026.
Whether you are an experienced naturalist or making your first observation, you are welcome. A wildflower beside a footpath, a butterfly in the garden or a bird in a local wetland can all be part of the event.
Building on an inspiring 2025
Last year's Great Southern BioBlitz brought together 9,993 observers, who contributed 282,261 observations documenting 37,550 unique taxa. These records capture an extraordinary variety of life and reflect the efforts of observers, organisers and people helping with identifications.
Since the first event in 2020, annual observations have grown from 70,959 to 282,261—almost fourfold. Observer participation has also nearly quadrupled, from 2,512 to 9,993.
The discoveries extend well beyond the most familiar wildlife. In 2025, insects alone accounted for 56,907 observations and 11,071 unique taxa. Butterflies and moths contributed 20,692 observations, while birds accounted for 26,365 observations.
Each observation is an opportunity to learn something new, share knowledge and build a record of where organisms occur. You do not need to know a species' name to begin: clear photographs or sound recordings give others a chance to help identify it.
Where are the 130 projects?
Continent | Projects listed for 2026 | Countries and territories represented |
Africa | 48 | 14 |
Oceania | 38 | 2 |
South America | 44 | 6 |
Total | 130 | 22 |
The directory below reflects the organiser list supplied for this countdown. More projects may join before the event. Project links retain the addresses supplied by organisers, and the regional names are shortened for readability.
Africa: 48 projects across 14 countries
Africa contributed 122,752 observations, 15,106 unique taxa and 2,154 observers in 2025—the highest observation total of the three participating continents. Plants and birds were prominent in the continent's results.
For 2026, the current list includes 21 South African projects, 11 in Mozambique and projects across a further 12 countries. The network brings together national initiatives, cities, coastal areas and conservation landscapes.
Angola — 1 project
Angola returns with a country-named project coordinated from Luanda, offering a focal point for participation.
In 2025, Angola contributed 164 observations, 121 unique taxa and 13 observers.
Botswana — 4 projects
Four projects represent Northern, Central and Southern Botswana and Greater Francistown, providing several regional entry points for observers.
In 2025, Botswana contributed 1,925 observations, 935 unique taxa and 25 observers.
Democratic Republic of the Congo — 1 project
The Maiko National Park project brings the Democratic Republic of the Congo into the current 2026 directory, adding another conservation landscape to the African network.
Eswatini — 1 project
Eswatini has a single country-wide project, bringing local discoveries together in one place.
In 2025, Eswatini contributed 867 observations, 553 unique taxa and 7 observers.
Gabon — 1 project
Gabon is represented by a project associated with Bakoumba and Parc de la Lékédi, connecting local participation with the wider event.
In 2025, Gabon contributed 108 observations, 99 unique taxa and 5 observers.
Kenya — 1 project
The current Kenyan entry is centred on Wasini in coastal Kenya, providing a local focus for observations and participation.
In 2025, Kenya contributed 6,600 observations, 1,635 unique taxa and 114 observers.
Madagascar — 1 project
Madagascar is represented by a national project, with organiser details based in Antananarivo.
Malawi — 1 project
Malawi has a national project coordinated from Zomba, offering a shared destination for participants’ discoveries.
In 2025, Malawi contributed 356 observations, 264 unique taxa and 24 observers.
Mozambique — 11 projects
Eleven projects represent Mozambique’s provinces and its Exclusive Economic Zone, creating a broad network that includes both land and marine areas.
In 2025, Mozambique contributed 2,001 observations, 1,148 unique taxa and 66 observers.
Namibia — 2 projects
Two projects represent the Central Namib Desert and Greater Nyae Nyae Conservancies, bringing distinct regional initiatives into the event.
In 2025, Namibia contributed 2,900 observations, 1,047 unique taxa and 43 observers.
South Africa — 21 projects
South Africa has 21 projects in the current list, the largest national network in Africa. Projects span cities, districts and regional landscapes, from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape; Free State also has a project.
In 2025, South Africa contributed 103,380 observations, 12,434 unique taxa and 1,733 observers.
Tanzania — 1 project
Tanzania’s listed project focuses on the Zanzibar Archipelago, giving island observers a shared place to contribute.
In 2025, Tanzania contributed 48 observations, 41 unique taxa and 7 observers.
Zambia — 1 project
Zambia is represented by a national project, with organiser details centred on Kabwe–Mulungushi in Central Province.
In 2025, Zambia contributed 762 observations, 496 unique taxa and 26 observers.
Zimbabwe — 1 project
Zimbabwe returns with a national project coordinated from Bulawayo, connecting participants with the wider African effort.
In 2025, Zimbabwe contributed 3,173 observations, 1,481 unique taxa and 61 observers.
Oceania: 38 projects across Australia and New Caledonia
Oceania recorded 115,695 observations, 16,963 unique taxa and 5,687 observers in 2025. It had the largest observer community and highest number of unique taxa among the three participating continents, with insects a major part of its biodiversity records.
The current 2026 directory contains 37 Australian projects and one in New Caledonia. These counts describe the supplied project list; they do not imply that other places that participated in 2025 will be absent from the 2026 event.
Australia — 37 projects
Australia has 37 projects in the current directory, covering all six states and both mainland territories. The list connects capital cities, regional communities, catchments and coastal areas, including the Top End, Great Barrier Reef and Greater Perth.
In 2025, Australia contributed 93,062 observations, 13,495 unique taxa and 4,606 observers.
New Caledonia — 1 project
New Caledonia adds a Pacific island project to the current Oceania network, building on a substantial contribution from a small observer group in 2025.
In 2025, New Caledonia contributed 3,589 observations, 1,455 unique taxa and 36 observers.
South America: 44 projects across six countries
South America contributed 43,814 observations, 10,997 unique taxa and 2,153 observers in 2025. Amphibians were a particular highlight, with the continent recording the greatest amphibian diversity in the 2025 report.
The 2026 directory brings together 44 projects across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay. Uruguay’s 19 departmental projects form the largest national network in the continent, followed by nine projects in Bolivia and eight in Brazil.
Argentina — 1 project
Argentina’s current entry is Desafío Mendoza, providing a regional focus for participation in this year’s Gran Biobúsqueda del Sur.
In 2025, Argentina contributed 672 observations, 338 unique taxa and 46 observers.
Bolivia — 9 projects
Nine projects include a Bolivia-wide initiative and eight departmental entries: Beni, Chuquisaca, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosí, Santa Cruz and Tarija. This creates a network of national and regional opportunities to take part.
In 2025, Bolivia contributed 7,445 observations, 2,541 unique taxa and 347 observers.
Brazil — 8 projects
Eight Brazilian projects connect metropolitan areas and local initiatives, from Manaus and Fortaleza to Espírito Santo, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo.
In 2025, Brazil contributed 10,674 observations, 3,950 unique taxa and 571 observers.
Colombia — 3 projects
Three projects represent Jardín in Antioquia, Valle de Aburrá and the Bogotá River catchment, connecting local and regional recording efforts.
In 2025, Colombia contributed 8,780 observations, 3,039 unique taxa and 443 observers.
Ecuador — 4 projects
Four projects represent Cotopaxi, El Oro, Loja and Quito–Pichincha, offering several regional focal points for observers.
In 2025, Ecuador contributed 8,881 observations, 3,169 unique taxa and 265 observers.
Uruguay — 19 projects
Uruguay has projects for all 19 departments, giving the country complete departmental representation in the current list. Participants can find a local project wherever they are in the country.
In 2025, Uruguay contributed 1,400 observations, 817 unique taxa and 131 observers.
Your next step: find your project and start practising
With 30 days to go, now is a great time to prepare:
Create an iNaturalist account and try uploading a practice observation.
Find your local project in the directory above or explore the GSB 2026 umbrella project.
Choose somewhere to explore. Your garden, a local park, a wetland or a walking trail can be a starting point.
Invite someone along. Share the experience with friends, family, a school group or a local nature organisation.
Save the dates: observe from 27–30 November, then upload and help identify observations until 14 December.
Photograph wild organisms where you find them, record their location accurately and take care to avoid disturbing wildlife. If you are unsure of an identification, start with what you know and let others help.
People who enjoy identifying observations have a valuable role too. Sharing your knowledge can help turn someone’s first discovery into a learning experience and a more useful biodiversity record.
Thank you to every organiser, observer and identifier helping make the Great Southern BioBlitz possible. From a single observation to a weekend of exploration, every contribution adds to what we can discover together.
Where will you explore during the Great Southern BioBlitz 2026?
2025 figures are from the GSB Overall Summary 2025. “Unique taxa” includes taxonomic identifications at different ranks and is not necessarily a count of confirmed species. Regional totals should not be added to estimate global unique taxa or unique observers, because taxa and participants may occur in more than one region.
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