Over the past 19 years and through more than 63 RAP surveys and other research, over 700 species potentially new to science have been discovered by CI scientists and RAP teams. In fact, 35 species have been described in the last three months of 2008.  A recent RAP survey in Papua New Guinea revealed over 80 species that are potentially new to science, from just one site!

CI is now embarking on an ambitious project – to double or even triple this number over the next few years. Many of the still un-described species out there may be beneficial to man and important for conservation. CI and collaborating scientists will ramp up our search in the unexplored reaches of our planet to find and name these species.

The rate of species extinctions is accelerating. Even as species discoveries are made, other plants and animals are disappearing from our planet, never to be known. The first step of conservation is to gain knowledge of what is living there.  We need to act now to save these species before it is too late.

Expeditions and research will take place all over the world; on land, in freshwater and within marine ecosystems.