Just as it is about to wrap up it's sixth year, the Canaiad Project has reached over 8,000 observations, as predicted!

Enthusiasm from our countless contributors is still strong, and observations keep pouring in, a testament to the keen interest many iNat patrons have for our freshwater unionids.

And our core team of identifiers remains as reliable as ever: @pdsmith , @amr_mn and @sam10turner ! Thank you so much guys for your contribution to making this project a fun and stimulating endeavour. Couldn't hope for a more enthusiastic troupe of keen-eyed volunteers.

The way things are headed, 2023 could realistically see us pass the huge milestone of 10,000 observations, a number that didn't even come close to looking likely when this project was still just an idea a few years ago. A respectable open-source data bank for our Canadian freshwater mussel species is steadily taking shape, adding so much new and important knowledge about their distribution.

So keep those observations coming. Happy and safe clamming for 2023!

Phil