The Great Australian Wildlife Search announces public release of eDNA data across Australia's largest river system
The Great Australian Wildlife Search initiative powered by eDNA technology uncovers the unique story of life inhabiting Australia's largest and most complex river system, the Murray-Darling Basin.
Led by the Odonata Foundation with EnviroDNA and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, the Great Australian Wildlife Search Spring 2023 sampling season targeted 324 sampling sites across the basin. This survey generated rich eDNA biodiversity data, establishing a baseline to improve understanding of the distribution of native, invasive and threatened vertebrate species to help inform strategic conservation management.
EnviroDNA developed an interactive online map released to the public that allows users to investigate at site-level the thousands of eDNA detections. Access the portal and discover the species that give life to the basin and provide essential health and sustainability to surrounding communities and First Nation peoples.
eDNA refers to the DNA that organisms release into their surroundings, whether it be through skin shedding, excrement, or other means. This DNA, once shed, can be discovered and analysed from aquatic environments using advanced molecular techniques. from water samples from creeks, streams and rivers.
Thank you to the generous volunteer citizen scientists and partnerships for signing up to the Great Australian Wildlife Search and collecting water samples across the survey sites. Empowered by eDNA, citizen scientists were provided with free kits and simple training resources.
Engaging communities with local waterways it at the heart of this innovative program. The Spring sampling season generated positive feedback from its citizen scientists such as - “I enjoyed doing the Great Australian Wildlife Search with my 16-year-old son to show him the types of projects that community members can contribute to, to help our environment” and “the Murray-Darling basin is the lifeblood of our state. I felt I was part of something important for the future” – Spring 2023 Citizen Scientists.
eDNA is innovative monitoring technology that enables biodiversity data to be collected efficiently across tremendous spatial scales. It turns biodiversity data into measurable and actionable metrics to help conservation managers and give access to data mapping tools for a new lens on management.
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority is utilising this data with an enhanced understanding of the types of wildlife in the river system and will use this data to help manage them for future generations.
The Great Australian Wildlife Search is being delivered by Odonata Foundation with support of the Basin Condition Monitoring Program – an Australian Government commitment to develop and deliver new monitoring and reporting of economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions in the Basin. Other partners involved in the Great Australian Wildlife Search for the 2023 and 2024 seasons include the New South Wales Government, Patagonia, Illumina and Brickworks.
More information
- For a neat summary of findings, download the Great Australian Wildlife Search Biodiversity Findings Report Spring 2023 (9-pages).
- For more information about the program and participate in future sampling surveys: The Great Australian Wildlife Search.
- Media release - 'eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the Murray–Darling Basin'