APLORI PUTS NIGERIA ON THE GLOBAL MAP FOR LARGEST BIODIVERSITY DATA

UNIVERSITY OF JOS, JOS, NIGERIA

(OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR)

INFORMATION, PUBLICATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS & PROTOCOL DIVISION

PRESS RELEASE

APLORI NOW RATED AS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF DATA ABOUT BIODIVERSITY IN NIGERIA

The A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI), a Research Institute under the University of Jos, is said to be playing a pivotal role in mobilizing biodiversity data in Nigeria.

According to a recent report by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), since APLORI joined the organization as a publisher in 2021 through the Biodiversity Information for Development programme BID-AF2020-039-REG, the Institute has contributed over 500,000 records to GBIF, which is more than four times the number of records contributed by all other institutions in Nigeria combined.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is an international network and data infrastructure funded by the world's governments aimed at providing open access to data about all types of life on Earth. Coordinated through its Secretariat in Copenhagen, Denmark, the GBIF network of participating countries and organizations, provides data-holding institutions around the world with common standards, best practices and open-source tools enabling them to share information about where and when species have been recorded.

According to the GBIF report, “APLORI now stands unchallenged as the largest source of data about biodiversity in Nigeria,” earning Nigeria a renewed status as a Voting Participant in GBIF with the voting right exercised through the country’s Minister of Environment. This remarkable achievement underscores APLORI's dedication to conservation and its pivotal role in advancing public understanding of biodiversity, contributing valuable insights for global Researchers, Educators, and policy makers alike.

Responding to this recent development, APLORI Director, Associate Professor Adams A. Chaskda said "We are committed to doing more to enhance the understanding of the Nigerian environment and in research in line with the vision of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Tanko Ishaya and Management of the University of Jos. We believe that open data is essential for conservation".

Chaskda believes APLORI’s contribution to GBIF is a testament to the Institute's commitment to conservation, as the data helps to improve public understanding of biodiversity and informs the global community of the Institute’s conservation efforts.

The A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) is the foremost Ornithological Research Institute in West Africa situated in Laminga, Jos-East Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. It is dedicated to Ornithological Research and capacity building in West Africa. The Institute was set up in 2002 by the Leventis Foundation Nigeria, which remains the Institute's principal source of funding. Strategic management of APLORI is through a collaboration of research and teaching stakeholders in the University of Jos, the Institute and external experts including the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, BirdLife and other international Universities.

International Researchers carrying out fieldwork usually consider APLORI as a convenient base in the African Savannah biotic community, actively collaborating with the Institute’s Research staff on diverse projects such as Avian influenza, migrant bird declines, biodiversity conservation or even nest building behaviour in weavers

APLORI's data collection efforts focus on birds through the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NiBAP), but the Institute also collects data on other species, such as small mammals, butterflies, and plants. The Institute’s bird data is made available through GBIF, where it can be accessed by Researchers, Educators, and policy makers around the world. So far, the data has received 21 citations in peer reviewed journals and other publications and the number is still growing.

Signed

Abdullahi Abdullahi

Senior Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications)

17/1/2024