Hunters Association of Slovenia (HAS) is the main Slovene hunting organisation, counting almost 21,000 members. The NGO’s mission comprises the sustainable management of game species, education of hunters, and protection of the natural environment. In order to accomplish this multifaceted mission, HAS has developed a unique and comprehensive Hunting Information System (HIS). The purpose of this tool, a pioneer one at the European level, is storing national data on wildlife.
Despite collaboration of HAS with decision-makers and researchers is already in place, the real potential for different spatiotemporal analyses, as well as a comprehensive exploitation of these databases for scientific purposes has not been put to use yet.
STEP CHANGE will improve the capacity to produce evidence of wildlife presence in Slovenia by developing an experimental campaign involving beginners, such as outdoor enthusiasts, camera trappers and photographers, in data collection and by setting up a verification procedure.
An application for wildlife data collection will be developed as an easy tool for the involvement of non-professional citizens. The Citizen Science Initiative will harness the potential of Citizen Science to support evidence-based policymaking while contributing to raise awareness on biodiversity and conservation issues.
SRNA: New app for monitoring wildlife
Monitoring (checking the distribution, numbers, etc.) of wildlife populations is fundamental for successful conservation or management plans of wildlife populations, whether we are talking about hunting or strictly protected species. Regular and systematic monitoring of several species is also required by Slovenian and European legislation. Not only researchers but also nature lovers today can make an exceptional contribution to better monitoring and understanding wildlife populations and their needs.
To conduct easier, better, and more systematic monitoring of selected species of wild animals, we developed an application called SRNA in cooperation with the Hunting Association of Slovenia and three research institutions (the University of Primorska, University of Ljubljana and Faculty of Environmental Protection of Velenje). The app allows those interested to record the observations of different animal species in nature. The SRNA app can be downloaded via our QR code or this link.
Those observations will contribute to a better understanding of wildlife, but you can also simply test their wildlife identification skills through a quiz (the English version will be available soon). The collected data will not only improve our understanding of wildlife but also contribute to better management and protection of wild animals (large mammals and selected bird species) in Slovenia. The broad distribution of smartphones and the development of dedicated apps make it now possible for everyone to contribute and the role of “citizen scientists” is becoming extremely important. By connecting citizen science data with large datasets obtained from environmental observations, researchers can now address aspects previously unattainable with their strength alone.
You too can become a Citizen scientist!
By recording observations of both common and rare or endangered species, you can contribute to the understanding of their distribution and numbers, which will help researchers identify their densities and how the population is doing. Such knowledge will make it possible to develop conservation and management strategies enabling a harmonious coexistence of all species.
The app is available for both smartphones and computers and only asks for a one-time registration by email. Despite allowing for multiple data to be recorded, the app is user-friendly and guides you from the beginning to the end of entering an observation by internal links and transparent/clear menus. Through the app, you will be able to get a graphical overview of your own entries and the overall information for the whole country. Additionally, you will be able to contact the researchers in the team with questions related to the project or their observations by writing to: stepchange@famnit.upr.si.
Researchers will keep you informed about the results and the most active participants will be rewarded. We will also reward the individuals with the most entries.
The satisfaction and enthusiasm of our users are confirmed by the fact that there are currently more than 1000 entries in the app.
We kindly invite all of you to download the app and start recording your observations of wildlife whenever you encounter one, doesn’t matter if it is during a challenging hike or during a stroll in the countryside!
Participate in the project
Do you want to take part in the project as a citizen scientist and join our Slovenian team? Do not hesitate to reach out to us and to send us a message via the form below. A member of our research team will get in touch with you.
Supporting Institutions
- Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning
- Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food
- Hunters Association of Slovenia
- Slovenia Forest Service
- Environmental Protection College
