Data accessed through the SANParks Biodiversity Information Management System are free for all—but not free of obligations. Under the terms of the FBIS data users agreement, users who download individual datasets or search results and use them in research or policy agree to cite them using the referencing information provided in the metadata for each data record.

Good citation practices ensure scientific transparency and reproducibility by guiding other researchers to the original sources of information. They also reward data-publishing institutions and individuals by reinforcing the value of sharing open data and demonstrating its impact to their stakeholders and funders.