Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, Oct 24: The Department of Zoology at Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, in collaboration with MCM Eco-Club 'Parivesh', organised Campus Biodiversity Challenge-2026 as part of the Wildlife Week celebrations. The initiative aimed to foster biodiversity awareness, promote responsible wildlife observation, and engage students in citizen science and the scientific documentation of campus flora and fauna.
Held under the theme "Observe oDocument oConserve", the challenge encouraged participants to explore the college campus, observe wildlife without disturbing it, photograph their findings, and contribute to biodiversity documentation through the citizen science platforms iNaturalist and eBird. Prior to the competition, a hands-on workshop on biodiversity documentation through citizen science was conducted by the faculty and students of the Department of Zoology. Participants were introduced to wildlife observation, ethical photography, species identification, and the process of uploading observations and bird checklists to the respective platforms. The challenge featured several categories, including Best Biodiversity Observation, Best Insect/Butterfly Observation, Best Plant-Animal Interaction, Most Distinct Species Documentation, Best Bird Observation, Best Bird Checklist, Maximum Completed Checklists, Rare Species Documentation, and Campus Biodiversity Champion. Entries were assessed on the basis of authenticity, identification accuracy, quality of evidence, completeness of documentation, scientific and educational value, originality, and conservation relevance. The challenge provided students with an opportunity to hone their observation and documentation skills while gaining a deeper understanding of biodiversity conservation and the role of citizen science in generating valuable ecological records. It also underscored the importance of ethical wildlife observation and the protection of natural habitats.
Officiating Principal Ms. Neena Sharma highlighted the college's consistent presence among the top 10 institutions on the Campus Biodiversity Register website leaderboard, and noted that this achievement reflects the college community's active contribution to biodiversity documentation through citizen science. She emphasised that such initiatives strengthen the institution's commitment to environmental education, biodiversity conservation, and the promotion of responsible scientific engagement among students. |
