Rock Pool BioBlitz Battle

📍 East Sands, St Andrew’s | 🗓️ Tuesday 20th May 2025 | ⏰ 13:30 – 16:00

Join us for a special BioBlitz Battle at East Sands as part of the Big Rock Pool Challenge: National BioBlitz — a nationwide citizen science campaign to explore and record the UK’s incredible rock pool wildlife.

This event is hosted by The Rock Pool Project and proudly supported by our funders, the ScottishPower Foundation, who will be joining us on the day.

🐚 What is a BioBlitz Battle?

A BioBlitz Battle is a fun, friendly wildlife-recording challenge where participants explore the intertidal zone, identify species, and record them using the iNaturalist app. It’s a fantastic way to get hands-on with marine life and contribute to real conservation science — no prior knowledge required!

You’ll be supported by expert marine biologists and trained volunteers who will help with identification and guide you through the recording process. The more you find, the higher your score!

🌿 Who is it for?

This event is open to anyone aged 16+ with an interest in marine life, citizen science, or just a love of the sea.
It's a great opportunity for:

• Nature lovers and outdoor explorers
• Citizen science newcomers
• Environmental groups, students, or local residents looking to get involved

Families with children are welcome.

📝 What to bring:

• Footwear suitable for slippery rocks (wellies or rock pooling shoes)
• Weather-appropriate clothing
• A smartphone or tablet with the iNaturalist app installed (we’ll help you get set up if needed)

🔗 About the National BioBlitz

Taking place from 17–25 May, the National BioBlitz is a UK-wide campaign encouraging people to discover, record, and protect our coastal biodiversity — with a special focus on non-native species. Your records will help build vital data to support marine conservation.

Find out more and join the national effort:
👉 www.therockpoolproject.co.uk/national-bioblitz

This is a free, informal event. Please register to help us manage numbers.
We look forward to seeing you on the shoreline!

✅ Good to Know

• No experience necessary – we’ll show you everything you need to know on the day.
• We’ll be exploring rock pools, so expect uneven and sometimes slippery surfaces – please wear sturdy shoes or wellies.
• Bring a smartphone or tablet with the iNaturalist app installed (available free on iOS and Android). Don’t worry if you’re new to it – we’ll help get you started!
• This is a tide-dependent event, so please arrive promptly – we’ll be heading straight to the shoreline.
• The event is weather-dependent – in the event of severe weather, we may need to postpone. We’ll notify you via email at least 24 hours in advance if that’s the case.
• Toilets and refreshments are available nearby at East Sands.
• Children are welcome with supervising adults, but this event is primarily aimed at older participants.