This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas (ORAA) at Ontario Nature. The ORAA has been a successful and influential citizen science project engaging thousands of participants across the province over the past decade.
During this time, we have collected over 400,000 expert-vetted observations. These observations have impacted policy decisions and on-the-ground conservation across Ontario. Equally as important, this project has expanded the awareness of herpetofauna in Ontario. But the time has come for the ORAA to transition into a new phase.
This will be our last year of data collection. Ontario Nature will be wrapping-up the data collection phase of this project as of December 1, 2019. As a result, the ORAA app will no longer be active as of approximately August 15, 2019.
Just because our app and online forms will no longer be available, doesn’t mean you can’t continue to observe and submit your sightings of reptiles and amphibians. We encourage you to continue submitting your observations through other channels after August 1, 2019. Here are two of your options:
iNaturalist – This Canada-wide citizen science program is a community-based tool. Your observations will be vetted by researchers, experts and other citizen scientists. Download the app and submit your sightings to the ‘Herps of Ontario’ project by clicking the ‘add observations button’ on the project home page.
Fill out the form specifying details of your observation, including: Media (photo or audio recording), Date and time of observation, Description of individual and location, GPS coordinates, Number of individuals, Behaviour, Habitat, Weather and Email
2. Natural Heritage Information Centre – Submit your species at risk observations to the ‘NHIC’ project on iNaturalist by clicking the ‘add observations button’ on the project home page. If you prefer to compile your records in a spreadsheet, email it to the Natural Heritage Information Centre (nhicrequests@ontario.ca).
We owe the success of this program to our atlas users who have contributed so many valuable sightings from across the province. Thank you on behalf of the Atlas Team and Ontario Nature for your contributions to the ORAA.
Smera Sukumar directs the Nature Reserves and Conservation Science programs. She joined the team in 2016 and holds a MSc in biodiversity and conservation from the University of Leeds and a BSc in zoology from the University of Guelph. Smera has lived in four countries and travelled to over 40. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, cooking, dancing, and cozying up with her cat.
9 Replies to “Big Changes Ahead for the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas”
I’ve been trying for a few days to download my data from the App but all I get is an error message. I’ve tried downloading it onto my phone and my desktop computer without success. I have over 100 submissions that I would like to have access to. Can you please offer some advice on how to access my data? Thank you.
Today is August 15th. I received notice the app is closing down Aug 15th. If this was announced earlier I missed it. Eg, in Jan saying, this is last year for data collection. Is this related to some of the security flaws in the app that can’t be fixed without messing something else up? Were there repeated attacks on the app (eg via SQL injection)?
When we started the ORAA, we always planned for an end date for data collection in order to produce a publication. This is common practice similar to other atlas publications like the Breeding Bird Atlas. We decided on a 10-year time frame. The amount of data we have received will inform a very thorough analysis and publication.
Is there an ETA for the promised static maps? Thanks!
Where’s the static maps for download? Can’t find the data. Driving me nuts.
When are the interactive maps going to be taken down?
August 15, 2019
I’ve been trying for a few days to download my data from the App but all I get is an error message. I’ve tried downloading it onto my phone and my desktop computer without success. I have over 100 submissions that I would like to have access to. Can you please offer some advice on how to access my data? Thank you.
Will
Today is August 15th. I received notice the app is closing down Aug 15th. If this was announced earlier I missed it. Eg, in Jan saying, this is last year for data collection. Is this related to some of the security flaws in the app that can’t be fixed without messing something else up? Were there repeated attacks on the app (eg via SQL injection)?
Or did I just miss announcements?
This is a sign of the times! so many apps doing the same thing and some like iNaturalist are easy to use. It take a lot to keep this programs up.
Why is ON Nature terminating data collection for the ORRA? Is it due to lack of funding or staffing to compile and analyze the data?
Hello Gary,
When we started the ORAA, we always planned for an end date for data collection in order to produce a publication. This is common practice similar to other atlas publications like the Breeding Bird Atlas. We decided on a 10-year time frame. The amount of data we have received will inform a very thorough analysis and publication.
Tanya Pulfer, Conservation Science Manager
Thus is a shame. I just recently happened upon the Atlas and was enjoying contributing…I hope On Nature reconsiders.