The University of Rwanda has embarked on an effort to digitize and publish all of its natural history specimen collections data and associated digital images. This important biodiversity data has been mostly inaccessible to the global community of scientists as a result of not having representation in other major online biodiversity portals like Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). The Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management is leading the team of Rwandan scientists to help achieve this important mission. Beginning in 2021, a 3 year summer biodiversity field school was launched through funding from the Volkswagen Foundation. This program has brought together scientists from more than 10 countries to train emerging biodiversity conservationists in specimen collecting techniques and biodiversity data management. Thousands of biodiversity specimen data for amphibians, birds, mammals, fish, ants, plants and fungi have been recently collected through the field school program and are ready for publishing online through a Symbiota data portal. The Rwanda Biodiversity Specimen Portal is planned to be the largest contributor of digital biodiversity specimen records for Rwanda.
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Metadata last updated on 2025-02-01 22:00:41.0
