Click Here To Visit The SRGC Main Site
About CASABIO: Rationale: South Africa has extraordinary biological diversity but many species are threatened with extinction due to anthropogenic changes and activities. In order to better conserve species, we need information on their abundances and distributions, but current information is scattered, outdated, inaccurate and insufficient. We also need to increase the value that South Africans place upon our remaining natural areas and the species that inhabit them by educating people about our biodiversity, encouraging them to visit and enjoy our natural areas and allowing them to actively contribute to the conservation of our biodiversity. Goal: CASABIO aims to create an Internet database where photographs and information about South African biological species can be stored and made available to scientists, conservationists and the public. Any organization or individual with useful photographs or information will be able to submit this to the database. As well as acting as a central location for the safe storage of valuable photos, locality information and other data, the database will serve as an educational resource for learners and the public and will collect useful locality and other information for conservation and scientific research. In support of the database, CASABIO aims to collect new photos and locality information, train future field biologists and tour guides through employing them in the running of the project and the management of the database, and establish public outreach projects relating to the database, such as inter-school competitions and photographic competitions.Primary Aims: To collect and database digital photographs and associated information about biological species, including submissions from the public or other persons / organizations. To facilitate conservation and scientific research through the dissemination of information and photographs and collaboration with appropriate organisations and authorities. To foster an interest in biological species and the environment by involving learners and the public in participation in CASABIO projects. To create an internet resource which will present biological photos and information to the public in a user-friendly way and allow interested people to share their information and expertise. To train field biologists / guides to document and identify species by employing them to populate and maintain the database. These statements incorporate:databasing; capturing information; storing information; disseminating information; public participation; conservation; research; training; employment.
