There's life on our campuses!

The University of Montpellier's campuses are unspoiled spaces in the heart of the city, teeming with life...

Raising awareness of biodiversity protection

Did you know that the green Triolet campus is home to squirrels, Mauritanian tarantulas, foxes and weasels? Not everyone is lucky enough to catch a glimpse of these discreet neighbors. That's why the Groupe Naturaliste de l'Université de Montpellier (GNUM) gave the public the chance to discover this hidden world during the "24 heures de la biodiversité" (24 hours of biodiversity) held on April 20 and 21.
The event was open to the general public, with various associations from the UM Faculty of Science taking turns on the Triolet campus to raise awareness of the issues involved in protecting biodiversity, particularly in urban areas. Numerous school classes were also present: the association's aim was to raise awareness from an early age. It was also an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of nature (flora and fauna) and to learn about photography and nature drawing.

Learn about the flora and fauna living in the city

"Biodiversity loss is a terrible reality, whether in the countryside or in the city. So it's important for citizens to get to grips with this issue. Another objective is to increase knowledge of the ecology of urban flora and fauna. This scientific knowledge will be very useful for observing the biology and dynamics of certain species," explains Guillaume Bagnolini, scientific mediator and co-author of the Petit guide naturaliste de la Faculté des sciences, the fruit of a collaborative inventory carried out over three years by UM students. This initiative, known as Inventaire Fac, the campus biodiversity observatory, will be honored at the event.