LATEST NEWS
The 4th African Bioacoustics Conference has a venue!
01/12/2023
The planning committee has already been hard at work preparing for the 4th African Bioacoustics Community Conference and we are happy to announce that we have secured a venue!
From the 1st to the 6th of September 2024 we will be using the Breakwater Lodge as our venue for our 4th conference. It is located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa boasting first-class facilities and a spectacular view of Table Mountain. It is conveniently located within safe walking distance of the V&A Waterfront and the Oranjezicht Market. It is also close to Cape Town city centre, the Seapoint Promenade, and many other interesting and exciting locations around the beautiful city of Cape Town.
The Conference Facilities are connected to the University of Cape Town Graduate Business School and the Protea Hotel (part of the Marriot Hotel Group). Because of the wonderful facilities, we are also happy to announce that the 4th ABC Conference will be a hybrid event, also for greater accessibility for interested researchers and the public from all over the globe!
Listening for Life Project comes to Kruger
09/11/2023
With spring well and truly underway - there has been a plethora of bird species flocking to the Kruger National Park, and as dawn breaks, the morning chorus resonates through the camps. This Spring, a diverse group of scientists and artists has joined the migration – travelling from Cape Town to Kruger Park as part of an exciting new project to encourage appreciation of the natural world through sound.
The ‘Listening for Life’ project has been initiated by the African Bioacoustics Community – a network of scientists across the continent who integrate sound and acoustic monitoring into their research. By collaborating with Cape Town-based Graffiti artists: CareCreative & Sergical One - the Listening for Life project aims to promote active and mindful listening to nature. This Science-Art collaboration hopes to foster a greater appreciation of the natural world and the importance of all creatures in the ecosystem, many of whom are difficult to view, but rely on sound to communicate with each other or find their food. These include many species of birds, bats and insects which are fundamental to healthy and well-functioning ecosystems.
Within days of arriving at the Park, the team were able to start installing giant vibrant images of iconic African wildlife. From hoopoes to hippos, these are animals whose calls contribute to the ‘soundscape’ of Kruger Park and part of the sonic experience of any visitor – these artworks encourage visitors to pause, close their eyes and experience the park through listening to its natural beat.
The director of the African Bioacoustics Community, Dr Tess Gridley says "As a bioacoustician, Kruger National Park is an incredibly special space – the diversity of life is astounding and waking up early to record the birds is truly an incredible experience. From the first voices at 4:45 am to the full dawn chorus soon after, the sounds can be overwhelming as so many species are singing all at once’’. For Gridley, the highlight of the trip wasn’t the traditional Big 5, but rather the Bioacoustics Big 5 she says ‘’Recording the Black-backed Puffback was a real highlight – this is small bird which can be hard to see, but both vocalizes and makes clicking sounds with its wings as it forages through the undergrowth. This combined way of producing sounds is really neat to hear and to record. ‘’
“It was an honor and privilege to paint and spend time in the Kruger landscape. We loved bringing fresh colour to the walls and enjoyed all the responsive engagements we experienced. We look forward to developing further designs working with local residents, scientists and all the multi-species collaborators, as we imagine the soundscape through paint.”
- CareCreative
“The power of Graffiti/Aerosol Art has a massive impact in any environment, the scale and positive energy which this art form brings often lifts up spaces and engages directly with the viewer. We create out of the Hip Hop Culture to transform spaces: integrating into our natural environment as one with nature.”
- SergicalOne
