Here is a short, step-by-step user guide for getting started with the iNaturalist app, based on the selected materials:
What is iNaturalist?
iNaturalist is a free app and online community that helps you identify wild plants, animals, and fungi around you. By sharing your photos, you can connect with nature experts and contribute valuable data to biodiversity science and conservation.
Note: You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. For younger users or those who prefer a private, gamified experience without posting publicly, the companion app Seek by iNaturalist is highly recommended.
How to Make an Observation
Making an observation is simple. You just need to document what you saw, when you saw it, and where you saw it.
- Tap “Observe”: Open the app and tap the camera icon labeled “Observe”.
- Take or Upload Photos: Take a picture of the organism. You can take multiple photos to show different angles or parts of the organism (like a plant’s leaves, flowers, and bark) by tapping the “+” square in the details screen.
- Get ID Suggestions: Tap the “What did you see?” box. The app will use AI to offer suggested identifications. If you aren’t sure which specific species it is, it is perfectly fine to choose a broader category like “Plants,” “Insects,” or the genus level.
- Check Location and Time: The app will automatically record the date, time, and coordinates of your photo. (Note: If you take a picture of an officially endangered or vulnerable species, iNaturalist automatically obscures the exact location to protect it.)
- Share: Tap the “Share” button to make your observation public. The iNaturalist community can now see it and help you confirm or improve your identification.
Best Practices & Beginner Tips
To ensure your observations are helpful and can reach “Research Grade” (meaning the community agrees on the identification), avoid these common beginner mistakes:
- Stick to Wild Organisms: iNaturalist is focused on wild nature. If you are photographing a pet, a zoo animal, a houseplant, or a planted garden flower, you must mark the observation as “Captive / Cultivated” in the details screen.
- Take Good, Clear Photos: Avoid blurry or overexposed photos. Fill the frame with your subject and get close enough to show detail. If a plant is blowing in the wind, try holding the stem still with your hand.
- Group Photos of the Same Organism: If you take multiple pictures of the exact same plant or bug, put them all into one single observation rather than creating a new observation for each photo.
- Capture the Whole Picture (for Plants): Taking a picture of just a flower or just an entire tree from far away often isn’t enough for an ID. Make sure to capture close-ups of the leaves, the bark, the flowers, and the overall shape of the plant.