BioBlitz returns July 24-25, 2010, at Alpha Lake Park. For updated details and results go to the Whistler BioBlitz website !
2009 BioBlitz reports new species
| # species TOTAL | # species BioBlitz 2009 | New records in Whistler | New Totals | |
| Mammals | 62 | 8 | 0 | 62 |
| Birds | 253 | 51 | 0 | 253 |
| Amphibians, fish & reptiles | 18 | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| Butterflies | 35 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
| Dragonflies & damselflies | 27 | 14 | 1 | 28 |
| Gastropods | 14 | 4 | 1 | 15 |
| Other invertebrates | 110 | 37 | 19 | 129 |
| Native vascular plants | 580 | 144 | 11 | 591 |
| Non-native vascular plants | 108 | 35 | 4 | 112 |
| Bryophytes | 127 | 5 | 2 | 129 |
| Fungi | 536 | 12 | 3 | 539 |
| Lichen | 372 | 96 | 18 | 390 |
| Algae | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| TOTALS | 2244 | 419 | 59 | 2304 |
2008 BioBlitz a Success!
The tents are packed, the post-event pizza is eaten, and the scientists have left. The Whistler Naturalists’ 2nd BioBlitz is officially over and it was a smashing success!
An august group of scientists battled their way through ferry line-ups and the Sea-to-Sky construction mess to join the Whistler count. All in, over 45 local and visiting biologists and naturalists teamed up to comb Whistler’s wetlands, lakes, forests, and alpine over the 24-hour count, August 9th and 10th.
The count was challenged by cold, wet weather that reduced sightings of bats, birds, and insects. But the participants still managed to unearth over 500 species including approximately 215 species of vascular plants, 12 mammals (including of course Homo sapiens), 37 birds, 28 fungi, 27 lichens, and at least 60 invertebrates. Final tallies will be updated at www.whistlerbioblitz.ca.
Our preliminary results show at least 50 species to be new records for Whistler. Combined with last year’s results, that means over 250 species have been uncovered in just two 24-hour BioBlitzes. The data will be added to previous records collated by the Whistler Biodiversity Project. With the help of BioBlitz, the WBP has more than tripled the documented species in Whistler since it started in 2004.
It was again a great pleasure to have so many high-level scientists and naturalists in Whistler. The rain on Saturday night meant we had to move the planned Night Critters event indoors but the upside was a very informative and entertaining evening of short presentations on bats, owls, the Perseid meteor shower, slugs, and biodiversity. Early next morning, everyone was back at the count.
Some of the highlights of the event included:
- Two River Otters swimming in Lost Lake right in front of the BioBlitz tents on Sunday morning, the first record in the past decade or more.
- Four species of truffles discovered near treeline on Blackcomb Mountain (we don’t know if they’re tasty)
- A camel cricket, also from high up on Blackcomb, that seems to be the first record west of the West Kootenays, roughly 300 kilometres distant
- Continuous presentations by scientists with aquatic insects, amphibians, and reptiles
- 69 children and their parents attending the Swamp Monsters Scavenger Hunt on Saturday morning.
- First page coverage in the Globe and Mail’s BC section.
We are very thankful to all the participants for their enthusiasm and contributions to raising awareness of biodiversity in the sometimes Disney-like atmosphere in Whistler. Our second favourite comment from first-time visiting scientists is their surprise at the interesting species and habitats in Whistler. But our favourite is that they plan to return for next year’s event, August 8th and 9th. See www.whistlerbioblitz.ca for more details!
For more details, please contact:
Bob Brett : email or 604-932-8900
Elke Wind: email or 250-716-1119
2007 Whistler BioBlitz
689 species, 24 hours, 33 scientists, a dozen keen volunteers, and hundreds of public visitors. What a great first BioBlitz! Thanks to all the scientists who volunteered their time, our organizational team, and everyone who came out to participate.
| Summary: |
Total (min.) |
New records for Whistler (min.) |
| Mammals |
20 |
1 |
| Birds |
57 |
0 |
| Fish |
3 |
0 |
| Reptiles |
1 |
0 |
| Amphibians |
2 |
0 |
| Invertebrates |
80 |
67 |
| Vascular Plants |
260 |
12 |
| Mosses |
100 |
63 |
| Liverworts |
12 |
0 |
| Fungi |
80 |
45 |
| Lichen |
73 |
25 |
| Algae |
1 |
1 |
|
689 |
213 |
