The way in which humans live is causing the degradation of our environment. Achieved by the destruction of ecosystems, habitat destruction, the extinction of wildlife, pollution and through the depletion of our natural resources, such as water, air and soil.
Humanity depends on the environment to live, and this makes it our obligation to help sustain and mend it. Because we only have a short window now to halt the loss of biodiversity and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
The Critterpedia™ platform started life as a critter identification app so the focus on nature was there from the start. Two years ago we read in an IPBES report that devastation could befall our planet through various means, including invasive alien species, and we changed our way of thinking from there on in.
Australia is one of the most important nations on Earth for biodiversity. In fact, it is one of only 17 ‘megadiverse’ nations and is home to more species than any other developed country.
The impact of a species loss in Australia not only affects Australia, but the entire world. This posed the question about what we could do to protect our whole planet, not just Australia. And do people actually know they can make a difference? Do they know how their actions are affecting our ecosystems? Via our platform, how could we help to make people aware of the importance of nature at this critical global crossroads?
Your help is needed in 2020 more than ever before! Many people around the world remain unaware of the critical role nature plays in the well-being of all mankind. Without their support, it is unlikely our leaders will act swiftly. – Nature Needs Half
Our lightbulb moment! Designed around collecting and delivering information, experts can use the platform to convey their messages to the masses, and users learn these messages via the fun, encouraging, interactive and immersive methods the platform provides. Because we all know that people retain information through doing, taking challenges in nature, playing immersive games, partaking in active video CritterCams, being immersed in virtual 360 degree situations and learning new and exciting wildlife topics; all whilst virtually connecting with experts and friends.
Critterpedia™ also rewards for learning and for actively being outside, and acknowledges hard work with community badges and CritterCoins, to be redeemed at local wildlife venues (zoos, wildlife sanctuaries etc).
By building relationships with experts in many wildlife and environmental areas, Critterpedia™ is building an army of positive and credible voices, helping to inform on current topical issues, including the impact invasive alien species are having on our planet, how our actions affect our ecosystems and how we can all play our part in halting the loss of biodiversity.
The young generations are eager to learn and develop and it is up to the educational systems to guide them on the right path. If you want them to be environmentally aware and promote the environment’s health, you need to boost the ways that you use to teach them. – By Salman Zafar | Expert in Environment Protection and Sustainable Development
With a specific Critterpedia™ Kids section devoted to connecting children with nature, we are teaching respect for our environment from an early age and empowering children to have a voice and to take control of the lifestyle choices they make. Nurturing environmental changemakers for generations to come. With pilots in the planning for several schools in rural Queensland, Critterpedia’s roadmap includes approaching Australia’s Educational Departments, widening the scope for environmental influence to our younger generations.
It’s time to join hands for change.
Critterpedia™ is providing a platform for wildlife and environmental experts to share their knowledge, providing the education and tools needed to empower the wider community and business leaders, to enable them to make better collective decisions that affect the world we all live in. Empowering a new body of environmental changemakers, all pursuing the goal of restoring humankind’s relationship with nature. With the means to unite, humanity becomes the safeguard for our planet’s ecosystems, its biodiversity, and all that inhabit it.
Utilising its audience, Critterpedia™ becomes a megaphone to educate and induce action. And inversely, the power of these collective eyes can provide data to help map the movement of species, aiding to reduce the impact of invasive alien pests on our ecosystems and aiding to prevent the extinction of threatened species.
- The combined cost of invasive species (management, control and economic losses) is estimated to be more than $13.6 billion dollars a year | Australian Academy of Science.
- One million species may be pushed to extinction in the next few years if action is not taken | UN Report
Our journey is just beginning but our media traction (170 online articles worldwide in one week) has given us a taste of the passion that humankind has for putting their weight behind environmental change. Nothing is more powerful and gratifying than providing people with a tool that can help redesign their own and their children’s future environment by having a positive impact today.
