iNaturalist is one of the world’s most popular citizen science initiatives and social networks for nature enthusiasts.
It was launched in 2008
It is operated as a joint initiative by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society.
The platform allows anyone—from professional biologists to amateur hikers—to map, share, and log biodiversity observations across the globe.
The app acts like an “Instagram for nature,” transforming a simple photograph into valuable scientific data through a collaborative process:
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Capture an Observation: You take a picture or record an audio file of a wild organism (a plant, animal, fungus, or insect) using your smartphone or camera.
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AI-Powered Identification: Before uploading, iNaturalist’s advanced image-recognition software analyzes the photo and immediately suggests the most likely species or genus based on visual traits and your location.
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Community Crowdsourcing: Once posted, the observation is visible to a global community of naturalists and taxonomists. Other users review your photo, vote on its classification, or refine the identification.
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“Research Grade” Status: When at least two-thirds of the community agrees on a specific species identification, the log is upgraded to “Research Grade.”
Once an entry reaches “Research Grade,” it doesn’t just sit in the app. The verified data is automatically shared with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Scientists and conservationists worldwide use this open-source database to track animal migration patterns, monitor the spread of invasive species, assess how climate change is shifting plant blooming cycles, and even rediscover species thought to be extinct.
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Projects & BioBlitzes: Organizations, schools, and parks can create targeted “Projects” on iNaturalist to catalog all living things in a specific area (like a backyard, a national park, or an entire city) over a set timeframe, a competitive event often called a BioBlitz.
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Seek: To make nature exploration safer and more accessible for children and families, they launched Seek. Unlike the main app, Seek doesn’t share geolocation data or upload photos to a public server, protecting user privacy. Instead, it uses the AI database offline to let users “scan” living organisms in real-time to earn badges and learn fun facts.