On October 1, 2022, a wildlife survey using the smartphone app “Biome” took place in Nanao City, organized by Nanao SDGs Switch! This event was co-hosted by Hokuriku Electric Power Co., Biome Inc., the Noto GIAHS Promotion Council, and the Nanao Takashina District Revitalization Council. The United Nations University also supports the activities of the Noto GIAHS Promotion Council, and members of the Noto GIAHS Biodiversity Working Group assisted from the planning stages. On the day of the event, expert member Shinya Nomura, an instructor from the Ishikawa Nature School, served as the lecturer, joined by other working group members and researchers from the UN University, including Akiko Koyama, Yasuko Kinoshita, and Tomoya Kishioka from Kanazawa University.
The weather was good, with clear blue skies, and 80 participants along with 30 stakeholders gathered. After greetings from the organizers and representatives of the community, researcher Koyama explained how to use the app and the process for the wildlife survey, which included a quest to find ten species of creatures in the Noto area by the end of October.
Next, Nomura provided explanations about the types of creatures they might encounter that day, some to watch out for, and how to handle certain situations. There were quiz-style questions where adults also had to think critically about what to do when they encountered bees or snakes, highlighting the importance of basic outdoor knowledge.
Participants then divided into two groups to start collecting wildlife. One group searched around the water channel next to the playground, while the other explored a waterway next to rice fields in the settlement.
Is there something there?
Get ready to catch a dragonfly!
Are there any rare creatures around?
After swapping locations between the two groups, they returned to the playground to classify the collected creatures by type. Despite some initial confusion with the fast-moving animals, the children gradually got the hang of it and managed to sort everything well. Once ready, they quickly posted their findings using the app, hoping their submissions were correctly identified by AI.
アプリで投稿してみよう！
Finally, Nomura provided explanations about the creatures discovered. They found various animals in the waterways, including medaka (small fish), loaches, shrimp, frogs, aquatic insects, and shellfish, as well as insects like dragonflies and grasshoppers. The discussion highlighted that while the rice field environment has been changing over time, it was encouraging to see such a diverse range of creatures still present in the area.
Explanation of captured living creatures
Red dragonfly
The japalura (a type of skink) that shed its skin inside the case
Loach
As a special thank-you, participants received a handout introducing important species that represent Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi, chosen by the Biodiversity Working Group. They were encouraged to report these specific creatures on the Biome app by the end of October.
Most importantly, it was striking to see both the children and their parents genuinely enjoying the experience of searching for and observing wildlife. It would be wonderful if this event sparked an interest in nature for even a few more children and adults. The quest period continues throughout October, so we hope everyone will contribute wildlife information. For educational materials from the Biodiversity Working Group, please check the group’s website as well!
