🔬 Citizen Science Hub
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🔬 Living Coast · Citizen Science

Spot & Report
Become a Coastal Citizen Scientist

Help scientists monitor South Africa's coast. Photograph species, report incidents, and contribute to real research.

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Species to spot
3,624
km of coastline
12,000+
Marine species
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Record a Species Sighting
Spotted something interesting? Photograph it and submit to iNaturalist. AI will help identify the species, and your data goes directly to SA's biodiversity databases (SANBI, GBIF).
📸 Open iNaturalist
Species you might spot here
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Report an Incident
Seen illegal dumping, poaching, pollution, off-road driving on dunes, or other harmful activity? Report it with GPS coordinates and photos.
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Log a Beach Clean-Up
Picked up litter? Log what you collected - type, quantity, location. Your data helps track marine debris hotspots along the SA coast.
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Report Ecosystem Health
Noticed coral bleaching, kelp die-off, dune erosion, unusual algal blooms, or fish kills? Your early warning helps scientists respond faster.
How It Works
1
Photograph what you see - use your phone camera for the best quality. Multiple angles help with identification.
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Submit to iNaturalist - the AI will suggest an identification. The community verifies it, and once confirmed it becomes "research grade" data.
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Contribute - your observation joins SANBI's biodiversity database and the global GBIF network, helping scientists track species distribution and health.
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Earn badges - complete the The Living Coast Explorer quiz at each sign to earn digital badges and track your coastal discoveries.
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