Promoting Effective Monitoring and Conservation through Online Databasing: An Avian Perspective

Abstract

The need for information on biodiversity is increasingly becoming a necessity due to threats at global, national and local levels. Adequate, correct, timely and accessible Information can be used for effective planning and formulating realistic conservation priorities. The Kenya Birdfinder, an internet based electronic database facilitates collection of current and updated records of bird observation as a source of information to monitor birds. A lot of information on birds exist as grey literature and museum specimens and never re-utilized after results’ publication for conservation actions. The system communicates major findings of submitted records to relevant authorities concerned with conservation and advocacy thus contributing to a much wider sharing and dissemination of important aspects while contributing to avifaunal conservation. Through networking the system provides a highly attractive and authoritative, scientifically rigorous analysis and presentation of data. The records added to the system provide a comprehensive picture on what is happening to Kenya’s avifauna while providing baseline information for their conservation.

Key Words: Information, Biodiversity, Conservation, Kenya Birdfinder, Data