Participatory citizen science in a mega city to conserve a nocturnal primate

How long can biodiversity persist in urban landscapes? To understand the impact of unplanned, rapid urbanization on biodiversity in Bangalore, a megacity, we’ve engaged the community in a citizen science project to study urban populations of slender lorises. The project engages ~1000 volunteers, who have found lorises in forest patches across the city, measured habitat, and recorded oral histories of ecological memories. Unplanned and uncontrolled urbanization is destroying the habitat of many species which once thrived here. Scientific study and outreach programs with stakeholders such as residents, city officials, and forest department are important to conserve urban biodiversity.