ello all, from now on the DNA project flags off a new program called the Species Hunt.

^{(This is the first version of the program declaration, as time passes and we gain experience, we'll evolve and release new suitable versions with additions and amendments..)}

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^{( © IUCN.org )}

This program will constitute of monthly species identification drives in the form of monthly Species Hunt compilation reports. Through this program, the DNA is going to officially start its work on Biodiversity. We are also planning on publishing the monthly collected and compiled data on a public accessible website that we will create one day in the future too. Therefore we invite you all to participate in this activity and have fun! 🙂 With these identification drives, DNA wants to help the scientific community to identify and know more about as many species as possible, before it gets too late...

What You Need to Do ?!

For us to be able to do our work, we want you to support us by doing something first:

1. Join the DNA DISCORD and be properly registered with your country badge. This will allow you to drop the link of your Species Hunt post in our #species-hunt channel, together with the species name and location of your find.
2. We also ask you to follow the DNA Curation Trail at a minimum of 10% of your voting power. Our Trail is a group of supporters who automatically up-vote the posts that DNA support as a whole DNA Team from the Hive account@dna.org account. This doesn't help us much, but rather it helps you all - the people who are supported by us to earn better and win better through DNA up-votes.

   What is a Trail? A trail is a collection of accounts following and helping in the curation efforts of an account. All accounts in a trail automatically vote a post curated by the account they follow but at voting powers they decide while following the trail.
   
   How to Follow the DNA Curation Trail
   Following the trail is quite simple. Here are the steps to follow:

   1. Go to the website https://hive.vote
   2. Log in with your Hive account using your Private Posting Key via Hive Signer. If you already have logged in once, you'll be allowed to login by choosing your account...
      ...if you are new to Hive.vote, you'll have to Import your account by entering the Private Posting Key.
   3. Once you are logged in, you'll see a screen like the one shown below. Notice the warning at the top...
      ...There is no need to fear, only you should understand that Hive.vote will be voting automatically on your behalf. So, you need to be careful not to tweak a setting unless you know what you are doing or someone else who knows about it guided you to. If you have any problems, do let us know on our DNA Discord server, we'll always be there to help.
      
   4. Once you have reached the homepage, you can now use this link : DNA Curation Trail, this will take you to the page for our trail. Once there, you can simply click on the FOLLOW button.
   5. Once followed, you can click on the SETTINGS button to set the voting weight(%) at which you wish to vote for that trail..
      
   6. You can change the other settings as described in the image below...(The voting time can be anything from 0 to 30, but many beleive keeping at around 15 gives the trail follower the max advantage and curation rewards...)
      

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   That's all! You are now following the DNA Curation Trail! Congrats, and Thanks!!

3. By participating, you allow us to use the image and the species information you provide for our work. We'll never sell your information and will of-course give you the credits for it wherever needed. (The pictures / info will be credited to your hive user account if we do not know your true name.)

For the actual Species Hunt post you have to do the following:

1. Every month, a theme will be declared for the identification drive targeting a small section of biodiversity like birds, butterflies, and so on... After this collect a variety of self-clicked photographs of a certain species in your area. (You will find the detailed information of which kind of pictures are necessary in the corresponding template)
2. You need to properly identify the species by browsing through Wikipedia or some other good sites. (we'll suggest some good sites & let you know on Discord)
3. Then use the proper "Template" that will be pinned within the DNA DISCORD in the # species-hunt channel to create the corresponding Species Hunt post. (The proper use of the template is very important for the project. If you cant provide the information and pictures in there, please wait until you really can!)
4. Drop the link of your published post in the # species-hunt channel together with the proper scientific name and the location of the find.
5. We will also provide a list where we note down all the already "hunted" species sorted by their scientific characterization.

Important Rules for Creating Species Hunt Posts

Here are some important rules that you should should read first and keep in mind while writing up your Species Hunt post for the DNA Identification Program. As we try to compile of of your work in a public visible website one day it is necessary to be strict on these rules. Otherwise we would only create unnecessary confusion and work for everyone that is included in subsequent compilation, transformation, and presentation of the work. If we find that you are not keeping to the rules your Species Hunt posts will be excluded from all subsequent processes!

• Use the proper title "DNA Species Hunt - Scientific Species Name"
• Use a title picture which includes "DNA Specie Hunt" tag and the "Species name".
• Include as many pictures as possible which underline Spread, Appearance, Behavior and Particularities of the species.
• Do not put any texts on your pictures. We will assure that you will be credited properly once we use your posts for external purpose.
• Us the Template and fill out all the points and write up all the text passages that are stated in there.
• If you can´t provide proper information and pictures, please wait until you really can. Quality is most crucial withing the DNA Species Hunt. Give your very very best in creating the posts.
• Use the following tag as the first tag while posting your entry: #dna-species-hunt.
  You will find more details in the corresponding template that will be pinned within the DNA DISCORD in the # species-hunt channel.
• And again !! If you can´t provide proper information and pictures, please wait until you really can. Quality is most crucial withing the DNA Species Hunt. Give your very very best in creating the posts.

Contest and Judging as a Bonus Feature

After the monthly compilation report of the various Species Hunt posts is published (on a monthly basis) there will be also a little funny contest within the DNA community for the best post of the corresponding period.

1. Participant Voting : Once, we have closed taking more entries for the month and published the monthly report, we'll allow the participants to vote on the valid posts on the DNA Discord Server...
2. Panel Voting : The Staff at the DNA Discord server will also cast their votes on the valid entries. The panel votes will have a higher weight as compared to the participant votes. (Details will be given later on the Discord Server)
3. Staff Participation : The staff is also free to participate on the program. If a staff member participates in the activity for a particular month, their votes will be counted at par with those of other participants (that is with no special judging privileges).
4. Panel Judgement Criteria : the panel (staff) will judge the entries on the following criteria : credibility of the information, the quality of images and the effort put in, the rarity of the species.
5. Prizes: They are still under discussion and will be announced during the coming month.
6. Entries per Participant: Participants can post multiple Species hunt posts, but during the aspect of the "contest" only the best entry (the one that gets max points after voting) per participant will be considered when giving the prizes.
   
   

DNA - Densifying Nature-Appreciation

DNA searches for HIGH-QUALITY posts that aim to DESCRIBE and determine the BIODIVERSITY AROUND YOU with added EXPLANATIONS and INFORMATION. For these informative posts DNA offers a CURATION SERVICE using the Hive account@dna.org account. It is also a CURATION TRAIL. In addition we run the SPECIES HUNT which aims to COLLECT and COMPILE the BIODIVERSITY all over the world on an external and public accessible website.

Best wishes, the whole DNA Team

Support Hive account@dna.org