Peradeniya University World University Bioquest 2019 Champs
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UniBioquest 2019 Winners – Clan University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya (UoP) won the overall Championship at the World University Bioquest 2019 – a worldwide competition among Universities to learn, discover and help map out the Biodiversity for Scientific Research & Conservation worldwide.
This competition is conducted to protect life on earth and also to increase awareness on Biodiversity among University students.
The Questagame competition was first started in 2017, between University of California, Santa Barbara (USA) and Sydney University (Australia). Then the same competition was extended to 20 Universities in 2018. In 2019, 50 Universities from 14 countries around the world participated in this competition.
Clan Leader Anushka Bandara Tennakoon(Right) handing over the “Top Sightings” team trophy to Prof. D.K.N.G. Pushpakumara (Dean of Faculty of Agriculture).
Among the Universities which have participated in this game are University of Adelaide, Macquarie University, University of Melbourne, University of New England and Monash University- Clayton
This competition is organized by the World’s reputed Universities in collaboration with the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity.
Questagame is basically an app-based game in which users win points by spotting, capturing (photographing) and identifying wildlife. Then the uploaded plant and animal species are identified by the specialists all over the world. The resulting Biodiversity data is shared with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF.org) for Scientific Research & Conservation.
The UoP team are overall champs under the following categories;
Sightings- Team champions (292,931 points), Correct Identifications- Team champions (12,693 points), Top Spotter (Kumudhu- 32,1110 points), Top Identifier (Kumudhu- 52,654 points), Top Sightings (Tharindhu- 957points)
This year, 66 undergraduates from the “Biology Guild” of the Faculty of Agriculture and 9 undergraduates from the “Zoologist Association of UoP” of the Faculty of Science, participatd in the competition. The UoP team was lead and guided by Anushka Bandara Tennakoon, a 3rd-year student of the Faculty of Agriculture.
“As the UoP is State-owned, the competition Entry Fee of US$ 1,500 was a huge hurdle for the team to overcome.Fortunately, the organizing committee understood their position and graciously agreed to waive the UoP’s Entry Fee, enabling the UoP team to participate in the competition,” the students said.
A significant criterion of the competition was to capture pictures of the animals in their natural habitats, which, though exciting, was quite difficult. This competition completely changed the questers’ attitude towards Biodiversity. Identification of this plant and animal species with its scientific name is another important aspect of this game.
Some of the Top Spotters who were able to capture some amazing plant and animal species were Kumudu B. Wijesooriya, Tharindu Dilshan, Tharaka de Alwis, Sashika Denipitiya, Thilina Hettiarachchi and Sampath Chamara.
Kumudu Wijesooriya of the Faculty of Science helped the questers to a great extent. He won Champion Spotter and Champion Identifier worldwide. Tharindu Dilshan of the Faculty of Agriculture won Top Sighting by capturing a rare stick insect. Some of the Top Identifiers were Kumudu Wijesooriya, Heshan Liyanagedara, Bhashitha Madushani Konara, Anushka Bandara Tennakoon, Thiranya Wanigarathna and Tharaka de Alwis. Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Applied Science, Rajarata University, Dr. Kanishka Ukuwela, helped the questers to identify some of the captured species, Senior Lecturers Dr. Suranga Kodithuwakku and Dr. Dimanthi Jayathilake from the Faculty of Agriculture, supported and guided the Questers to win UniBioquest 2019.
The Undergraduates expressed their gratitude to the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, UoP, Dr. D.K.N.G. Pushpakumaara, for his assistance and encouragement to face this competition with confidence.