Join us August 1 to 11, 2026
Kickoff Event: August 1st from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Meet at the Tranquility Garden, behind the PODS Showroom
12896 Madeira Park Road, Madeira Park
FUN NATURE
LOVER PRIZES!
GUIDED
MINI-EVENTS
THOUSANDS OF
SPECIES TO ID
Part contest, scientific enterprise, and educational event, a BioBlitz brings together scientists, naturalists, and community members of all ages to count as many species from as many different taxonomic groups as they can in a timed survey of a chosen site.
A BioBlitz highlights the species found in an area over a short period of time. It focuses on observing and documenting as many species as possible, creating a biological inventory for an area.
What is Bioblitz?
Come answer the Call of the Wild with the
Loon Foundation by participating in this year’s BioBlitz taking place across the Lower Sunshine Coast!
Each different observation submitted on iNaturalist counts toward your personal species total and enters you into the contest to record the most species. Everyone who records at least one observation is entered to win a participation prize.
Collect and submit your observations by 4 PM on August 11th, 2026. Winners will be announced the next morning on our social media, and prizes can be picked up at Base Camp.
How can I participate?
01
Our Goals for BioBlitz Events:
Public Awareness and Connection to Biodiversity
02
Expanded Public Engagement with Science and Nature
03
Stronger Community Relationships and Stewardship Capacity
04
Baseline Data to Support Conservation, Planning, and Restoration
05
Broad Dissemination of Findings to Guide Conservation Action
New this year! The Youth BioBlitz Crew is our brand new way for kids and teens ages 13 to 18 to dive into real-world science.
Through the Junior Scientist Challenge, youth track every species they spot throughout the BioBlitz using iNaturalist. The more you find, the more you earn, think magnifiers, stickers, field tools, and a shot at the youth prize category. Get out there and see how many species you can rack up.
Introducing the Youth BioBlitz Crew
Throughout the BioBlitz, Loon Foundation staff and volunteer experts will lead events across the Sunshine Coast:
Launch event at the Tranquility Garden, August 1st, 1-3 PM (Tranquility Garden)
Larval crab walk, Tuesday, August 4th, 8-9 AM (Irvines Landing)
European Green Crab, August 6th, 10-11:45 AM (Kent and Lagoon)
Juvenile salmon survey, August 7th, 2-3 PM (Irvine’s Landing)
NatureKids BC Explorer Day in collaboration with BlueAct Marine Society, August 9th, 9-10:30 AM (Franklin Beach)
For Youth BioBlitz Crew, walking tour with Talaysay Tours, August 11th (Nourishing Kinship ?e te Swiya (with/on the land) (Porpoise Bay)
During these events, you can snap photos, record observations, and get help identifying what you're seeing on the spot. Your guide can also help troubleshoot iNaturalist.
Check the calendar for the full list of events. Register ahead of time, as participation is limited.
Bio-Blitz Events
How are prizes awarded?
Prize winners are drawn based on participation, biodiversity, and number of species identified. There are separate prizes for the Youth BioBlitz Crew (ages 13 to 18) and for Community BioBlitz participants, including individuals and school groups.
Winners are announced on social media, so follow the Loon Foundation on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
What is iNaturalist?
iNaturalist is a free app available on iOS and Android created to engage communities in crowdsourcing data and observations in nature. It’s a fantastic way to become a Citizen Scientist and learn about the wildlife in your area! When you take a photo of an observation, it will be stored on the app to be uploaded once you have an internet connection. Your observations will be identified by Loon Foundation staff and other scientists or naturalists across the world, contributing to a world-wide database!
What do you do?
Our 2024 BioBlitz was a huge success, lasting an entire month, spanning the whole lower Sunshine Coast, and totalling an impressive 1025 observations and 426 species!
Check out the findings from our previous digital projects:
-
Observations: 1025
Species: 426
Identifiers: 228
Observers: 28
Visit iNaturalist 2024 -
Observations: 832
Species: 354
Identifiers: 208
Observers: 10 -
Observations: 625
Species: 327
Identifiers: 226
Observers: 10 -
Observations: 3438
Species: 895
Identifiers: 478
Observers: 20 -
Observations: 452
Species: 194
Identifiers: 177
Observers: 15
This year, there are two categories to take part in:
Community BioBlitz
Residents of all ages can log observations anywhere on the Sunshine Coast, from your own yard, a forest walk, or the shoreline.
Youth BioBlitz Crew
Kids take part through the Junior Scientist Challenge, tracking the species they encounter and earning small prizes like magnifiers, stickers, or field tools.
You can participate in the BioBlitz on your own time from anywhere on the Sunshine Coast by contributing pictures to the Loon Foundation Sunshine Coast BioBlitz iNaturalist project. All you need to participate are an iNaturalist account and a smartphone or a camera.
You can join by following the sign-up process on the app or clicking the sign-up link on the top right of their website. Afterwards, you can follow the link to our BioBlitz project where you will be uploading your discoveries.
Get exploring, observing, and identifying!
Take photos of the plants and animals you see in nature and upload them to your iNaturalist account. You can either:
Take photos through the iNaturalist app on your mobile device
Upload photos to iNaturalist through their desktop website
iNaturalist will automatically add any observations you make within the Sunshine Coast area into our BioBlitz project once you have joined.
For Public Participants
Donations go towards our many scientific endeavours and community events, including the annual BioBlitz!
IN COLLABORATION WITH
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
The 2026 BioBlitz has been funded in part by the Sunshine Coast Regional District Electoral Areas Grant-in-Aid and the Sunshine Coast Credit Union. Thank you to our funders and sponsors for supporting science and discovery in our community!