iNaturalist
What is iNaturalist?
A non-for-profit social network used by naturalists, scientists and the general public to map, record and share species observations across the globe. It can be accessed and used via the iNaturalist mobile app or website.
How to add observations on iNaturalist using your mobile device?
Adding observations to iNaturalist is easiest via the mobile app.
- Download the iNaturalist app and create a personal account.
- Watch our short step by step guide to recording observations on iNaturalist
or
follow our PDF guides to adding observations on the iNaturalist app on Android(PDF, 925KB) or iPhone(PDF, 742KB)!
- Get outside and have fun observing! For more detailed instructions on downloading and using iNaturalist head to the iNaturalist website.
Tips on taking reliable photos iNaturalist can identify:
Try to take multiple photos that are clear, well-lit, and show as many details of the specimen as possible.
Photograph the seed heads, base of the plant, and where the blades intersect the stem, and individual seeds if you can.
Photograph the entire flower itself, but also the entire plant and leaf structure.
Photograph the whole plant and the seed heads/buds, flowers, bark and where the leaf blades intersect the stem if you can.
Photograph the front and back of the leaf/frond. Ferns have spores on the underside of their fronds which vary greatly between species, so it’s an important identifying feature to capture.
Photograph the top, side and bottom of the fungi, as well as the environment it’s growing in. Try to take a photograph of the gills on the underside by using the phone’s front-facing (‘selfie’) camera or a small mirror.
For larger animals (birds, mammals, reptiles) photograph the animal’s colour, shape and face details. Include a photo with the surrounding location in the background.
You can record calls or use a digital camera and upload the photos later if the animal is difficult to photograph.
Observations of animal parts such as feathers, fur, scat, deceased organisms, bones can all be photographed and identified on iNaturalist.