Families, ecology enthusiasts and arm-chair naturalists are invited to participate in New Mexico’s first BioBlitz, a 24-hour biological inventory where scientists together with the public explore all the living organisms found at the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park. 

This is citizen science in action, where adults and children of all ages work in small groups with biologists and other nature experts to inventory the numerous plants and animals found along the Rio Grande bosque. This free, public event will be held Saturday, May 2, from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No registration is necessary, just drop by and stay as long as you like. There is, however, a $3 a day charge for parking at the Nature Center.  Participants should bring water, food, sturdy footwear, sunscreen and a hat; and optional items are binoculars, field guides and cameras.
BioBlitzes have been held around the world since 1996 and provide a space for scientists and the public to discover all living things in a given area including birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, other invertebrates, plants, and other living organisms. The BioBlitz at the Rio Grande Nature Center on Saturday, May 2 will provide for learning and involvement in real science data collection. 
 
"The BioBlitz will be a great opportunity for all of us to realize how interesting the diversity of life is around us. It is like a giant scavenger hunt for nature. It will be so much fun!” says Beth Dillingham, Superintendent of the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park. 
 
Sponsored by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, The Nature Conservancy and the Rio Grande Nature Center, the BioBlitz is a unique opportunity to study wildlife and plants in the field alongside scientists and other experts. Hollis Gillespie, Executive Director of the Museum of Natural History and Science says,“It is part of the Museum’s mission to provide opportunities for the exploration of our natural world, connecting where we live and how we live to natural systems and evolving processes. The Museum is excited to be a sponsor of BioBlitz, an event that will engage people in the science of data collection, provide the opportunity for participants to work with field biologists, and is sure to spark an interest in further study of the amazing diversity of organisms at the Rio Grande Nature Center and beyond."