The Naturalis Biodiversity Center houses thousands of natural history specimens from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (ABC islands), collected over 150+ years. However, many remain unstudied, undigitized, and inaccessible, limiting their value for research and conservation. Climate change and human activities are threatening biodiversity on the ABC islands, impacting terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Understanding historical biodiversity can help design conservation strategies, identify species changes and improve monitoring through DNA and AI tools.
A major issue is the lack of connection between Naturalis and ABC island researchers. The ABC collections are largely hidden within Naturalis’ 42-million-object archive, and local researchers struggle to access them. Despite no calls for repatriation, there is a need for better and digital access. The ABC islands are often excluded from large-scale biodiversity projects, further limiting research opportunities.
To address this, the ABC-NHC project will digitize, DNA-barcode, and publish these collections online and produce a book on the region’s biodiversity. The University of Aruba, University of Curaçao, Leiden University, and Naturalis will collaborate, with input from local conservation organizations ACF, CARMABI and STINAPA. The project also aims to fill key knowledge gaps, including species tracking, taxonomic verification, and better integration of ABC biodiversity into research infrastructures.
