How many species can you identify?

The Nature Conservancy of Canada wants people to go into their backyards, local parks, favourite hiking trails or anywhere else they go to take photographs and identify the species in their habitat.

The 4th Annual National Big Backyard BioBlitz will take place August 1-5.

Every year, Canadians across the country take photos and submit them to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Participants uploaded more than 59,000 images last year, and more than 7,700 species were identified.

(Photo courtesy of the Nature Conservancy of Canada)

Species identified included a brown bat, a grizzly bear, a bighorn sheep, a plains bison and even a humpback whale.

If you can’t see it well, record the sound. Scientists can identify many birds by their song.

Entries must be uploaded to the Big Backyard BioBlitz webpage.

The blitz is a community science effort to document as many species as possible during those five days. Each observation helps conservation groups and scientists understand local biodiversity, track endangered species, and even tackle invasive species.

“The Big Backyard BioBlitz is a great way to connect with nature while contributing to a national community science project,” said Matt Frank of the reserve. “Everyone’s observations help protect the wildlife we ​​love.”

It doesn’t take much effort. People can participate while sitting on their patio, walking around their neighborhood, spending time on the water or in their favorite protected area. If it’s raining, the reserve recommends simply looking out the window.