The “Kansai Ikimono Ekispo” project, jointly conducted by the Kansai Innovation Center and Biome Inc., successfully collected over 150,000 biodiversity records between April 26 and June 30, 2024.
A Large-Scale Biodiversity Survey Powered by Citizen Participation
“Kansai Ikimono Ekispo” aimed to promote a nature-positive society by leveraging the “Biome” app, a biodiversity collection platform. The project invited citizens across the Kansai region to submit photographs of flora and fauna they encountered. Biome is a free app that features an extensive database of Japanese species and uses advanced AI technology to identify species names.
Over a two-month period, an impressive 157,424 data entries were collected, representing 12,141 species, making this initiative the largest biodiversity survey in western Japan.
The survey revealed biodiversity hotspots along railway lines and included significant findings of rare and invasive species. The data will contribute to future conservation activities and plans for nature-themed events and campaigns.
■Kansai Ikimono Ekispo
Data Collected: 157,424 records (12,141 species)
Implementation Period: April 26 – June 30, 2024
Coverage Area: 2 prefectures and 5 regions in Kansai