Citizen Science
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Citizen Science


The term Citizen Science describes a working method that involves all interested participants in a scientific project. They can, for example, forward their own observations of a certain species in a certain form to an institution and thus contribute to the knowledge about its occurrence and distribution.

Citizen Science is used in the Stelvio National Park, for example, to collect data on the distribution of bats.
Wanted!
Would you like to contribute personally to the park's research activities?
Help us find bat roosts!
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Bat project

The National Park has been studying bats (Microchiroptera) together with the Università degli Studi dell'Insubria for years. In particular, the effects of climate change on the species present are being studied (there are 23 species in the national park and its surroundings). Most species are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, especially because hunting grounds are missing, and climate change. Through the bat project, the national park controls the largest colonies in the summer months. This is when the young are born, and when the protection of bat roosts is particularly important to avoid disturbance.

What can you do?
Report bat occurrences and their roosts to us! If you see one or more bats in a building (this can be a house, a barn, a church, but also a bridge or a tower), a tree hollow, a cave or in a quarry, make a report! Unfortunately, bats are not always visible in their roosts. Special attention should therefore be paid to their tracks, for example droppings called guano. This is deposited in small piles and is very small, completely black and crumbly. The reports are analysed by researchers from the Università dell'Insubria. The observation site is visited for verification.
By doing so, you help the National Park to protect these special animals!

How do you report the observation?

There are two ways to report your observation:
- through an app or
- with a short form
Bat reporting via iNaturalist
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Register at www.inaturalist.org or download the iNaturalist app on your smartphone (Android or iOS).

Search for our project "Chirotteri Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio" and join this group.
Click on Add observation. Now you can add photos, coordinates and information.
Select the project "Chirotteri Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio" in the menu item Projects.
This will add your observation to our project (also possible without a network connection).
Bat reporting by form
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Click here and fill in the data we need for the search, it will take less than a minute!
Even more research to participate in:
Bearded Vulture spotted?
Bearded Vulture spotted?
Have you observed and even photographed a bearded vulture? Support the research of the National Park by sending your photo in high resolution to martell.martello@stelviopark.it. Please add:
- date
- location (municipality, description of location, possibly GPS data)
We are especially looking for photos of the underside of the individual to get more details about the Bearded Vulture in flight. (Photo Alessandro Ravizza)
European stag beetle wanted
European stag beetle wanted
Do you want to contribute to collecting data on the distribution of the European stag beetle? How do you think it differs from other similar species?
(Foto: Archivio Ufficio Natura, Foto Martin Mair, 2015)
Plant and animal species
Plant and animal species
Make a contribution by forwarding your own observations of scientifically interesting plant and animal species to the Nature Agency, stating where and when they were found and, if possible, including a photo (as evidence).
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