30 April 2021

A new website teaching Top End school-aged children about using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect the endangered Gouldian Finch was launched at an event in Darwin in March 2021, attended by more than 50 people.

The website was developed in partnership with Inspired NT, Territory Natural Resource Management, Manyallaluk School and the Northern Territory Government. It introduces children to key facts about eDNA and Gouldian Finches, as well as important concepts and methods for the research. The children then play a game that tests their new scientific knowledge. The aim of the website is to teach school kids in the Top End (and beyond) about cutting-edge NESP research and get them excited about biodiversity conservation in their local environment.

The Gouldian Finch eDNA project, led by Professor Karen Gibb of Charles Darwin University, has for the first time, successfully developed and used an eDNA test to detect a threatened bird species.