The III was initiated at the University of Natal in 2001, with the aim of broadening participation to a national level. The main aims of this initiative are:

To promote conservation of invertebrate diversity as the highest priority in conservation planning, and to produce practical conservation management guidelines to this end.

To facilitate interaction among participants and enhance opportunities for research on invertebrate animals.

To enhance training in the study and understanding of invertebrate animals.

To enhance public knowledge and understanding of invertebrate animals and their ecological importance.

To date several collaborative projects, covering these aims and involving participants from eight different institutions have been implemented and are ongoing. Details of major projects and participants can be accessed through this site.