Wildlife Disease Citizen Science

Citizen Science Salon iconCitizen Science Salon
By Eva Lewandowski
Feb 2, 2017 11:25 PMNov 20, 2019 12:04 AM

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Photo: USFWS Wild animals get sick from parasites, fungi, and other causes just like people and pets do, but they don't usually have doctors to help them get better. Instead, you can help them with citizen science! Below, we highlight five projects that study wildlife diseases. Find more projects on SciStarter to do now, or bookmark your favorites for later!

Cheers!

The SciStarter Team

Photo: USGS

ZomBee Watch

Honey bees across North America are being infected by tiny parasites called Zombie Flies; the sick bees abandon their hives and die. Volunteers can capture honey bees and test them for the presence of the parasite.

Get started!

Photo: Bethann Merkle

Bee Germs

Many bee species nest in the ground, and often we know very little about the diseases that impact them. If you have ground-nesting bees in your area, you can collect a few and send them to researchers to be tested for diseases.

Get started!

Photo: NPS

Project Monarch Health

A parasite called OE affects monarchs throughout the United States; the disease causes malformations and even death. Volunteers can help track the abundance of this disease by capturing monarchs, painlessly collecting a sample of their scales, and then releasing them.

Get started!

Photo: SERC

Chesapeake Bay Parasite Project

If you live in the Chesapeake Bay area, you can help survey for an invasive parasite that is infecting native mud crabs. Volunteers are needed for this summer, so use our new bookmark feature to save the project for later!

Get started!

Photo: USFWS

OK Amphibian Disease Testing

Students and teachers in Oklahoma are needed to catch frogs, swab them for a fungus called chytrid (potentially lethal to frogs), and then safely release them. Request a monitoring kit now to be prepared for the March-June peak monitoring season.

Get started!


Want more citizen science? Check out SciStarter's Project Finder! With 1100+ citizen science projects spanning every field of research, task and age group, there's something for everyone!

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