iNaturalist is a place where naturalists, citizen scientists, and biologists can share observations of different species of plants and animals. iNaturalist users have made over 100 million observations worldwide! You can also join the iNaturalist community by making a free account and submitting pictures or audio recordings of the species you observe. You don't need to be an expert though! When you submit an observation, other members of iNaturalist will help you identify or confirm the species.

Getting Started

First, create an account. Next, go for a walk, hike, etc. and take pictures or record audio of the species you find. Then upload your pictures or audio recordings to the iNaturalist app or website and answer a couple of questions about where and when you made these observations. For more information, please watch the videos below.

Observations can be made on either the iNaturalist website or on the app. We highly recommend downloading their free app though, if you plan on taking pictures or recording audio with your cell phone, so you can upload directly from your phone.