Robbers Cave to Host BioBlitz! 2009 in September

By Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation

First posted on 08-24-2009

Oklahoma outdoor enthusiasts can attend a 24-hour, fast-paced wildlife watching event next month when Robbers Cave State Park hosts BioBlitz! 2009 in conjunction with the Oklahoma Biological Survey.

Slated for Sept. 18-19, BioBlitz! is a fun and educational event that invites volunteers to participate in a rapid inventory of biological diversity in Oklahoma’s unusual areas. Volunteers will count as many species as possible in 24 hours at the state park and adjoining Robbers Cave Wildlife Management Area near Wilburton in east-central Oklahoma. Robbers Cave WMA covers, 6,180 acres of Latimer Co. and consists mostly of hills covered with pine timber and scattered Oaks and Hickory. The WMA is managed by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

“The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is excited to be a partner in the annual Oklahoma BioBlitz!” said Mark Howery, wildlife diversity biologist for the Wildlife Department. “We have been a partner with the Oklahoma Biological Survey for every BioBlitz!, even since the project began in April of 2001.”

The Oklahoma Biological Survey is a research unit of the University of Oklahoma, but anyone can be a researcher at BioBlitz! 2009. BioBlitz! volunteers range from professional scientists, families and college students to high school groups and amateurs. Participation is free for several educational activities led by experts in conjunction with BioBlitz! These include night-time insect trapping, a bird walk, seining for amphibians, learning about the fish of Oklahoma, exploring the ferns of Robbers Cave, identifying venomous and common snakes and more. For a small fee, anyone interested also can take advantage of tent camping, an event T-shirt, a ticket for the Friday-evening picnic and 24 hours of biological diversity. Registration is available online or by calling (405) 325-7658. Volunteers also can register at the event. Pre-registration is suggested.

The BioBlitz! goal is to encourage Oklahomans to appreciate the biological diversity found right in Oklahoma’s borders. BioBlitz! offers a hands-on scientific experience and a chance to learn more about the natural diversity that exists close to home.

“People often think of biological diversity as something that exists in the tropical rain forests, but 1,100 to 1,500 species of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates can be found in just about any natural area in Oklahoma,” Howery said.

Robbers Cave State Park is located in the scenic, hilly woodlands of the San Bois Mountains of southeast Oklahoma near Wilburton. The park enjoys the notoriety as a former hideout for outlaws. Robbers Cave and the adjoining wildlife management area offer thousands of acres of biological diversity. For more information or for accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact Priscilla Crawford at (405) 325-7658.