Welcome to the

Virtual Museum

Animal Demography Unit -- Department of Zoology
University of Cape Town

The Virtual Museum (VM) provides the means whereby members of the public can assist with biodiversity monitoring projects. Currently two projects make use of this innovative concept and provide the platform for citizen science contribution to assess the conservation status of reptiles and butterflies in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Members of the public are encouraged to submit digital photographs of reptiles or butterflies along with certain basic information. Species identifications are made by a panel of experts. Real-time distribution maps for each species are available online and serve as conservation and education tools. These maps include VM records and all other distributional records contained within the projects' databases.

VM records have not only expanded the distribution databases of the projects, they have also provided valuable records: new distribution records for threatened species, species’ range extensions and additional records for rare species.

 

Southern African Butterfly Conservation Assessment

Date started: May 2007
Web page: http://sabca.adu.org.za

SABCA is a conservation project aimed at determining the distribution and conservation priorities of all butterfly species in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.

 

Southern African Reptile Conservation Assessment

Date started: 10 May 2005
Web page: http://sarca.adu.org.za

SARCA aims to improve our understanding of the diversity and distribution of reptiles in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, and thereby make possible an improvement in the conservation status of these animals.

SARCA also aims to improve public awareness of the value and plight of reptiles and also provide conservation agencies with a clear definition of conservation priorities that will help them to plan their activities.