Scientists, naturalists, schools, students, members of the public and community groups will be working together this week [Friday 26 June to Saturday 27 June] to find as many different species of wildlife as possible in Bristol’s first ever BioBlitz.

Volunteers, including academics from the University of Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences and Department of Civil Engineering, will be in a 30 hour race against the clock to find and identify species within Bristol’s Ashton Court Estate. The event is an opportunity to allow the public to discover and experience what nature has to offer, and to engage the public in wildlife identification and recording.

Barry Parsons, Academic Liason Officer at the University’s Centre for Public Engagement: “The BioBlitz is a fantastic opportunity for the University's scientists to use their skills alongside the public to find out about the amazing diversity of nature on our doorstep.”

BioBlitzing officially starts at 9 am on Friday 26 June and finishes 30-hours later at 3 pm on Saturday 27 June. The event is free and is open to the public from 9 am until late on Friday and 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday. The event has been organised by the Bristol Natural History Consortium, supported by Bristol Science City, the University of Bristol and Defra, and working alongside BRERC (the Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre). For more information or to register for the event please visit the website.