A 24-hour effort to catalog the living things in Vermont’s capital has documented about 1,500 species of animals.
The Montpelier BioBlitz found, among other things, at least five microscopic tardigrades, or "water bears," never before documented in the region.
Organizer Bryan Pfeiffer says Montpelier is far more cosmopolitan when it comes to plants and animals and other organisms than organizers had thought.
More than 200 scientists and volunteers looked in riverbanks, meadows, woods and ponds around the North Branch Nature Center between 3 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday.