A Community for Naturalists · iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a social network for naturalists! Record your observations of plants and animals, share them with friends and researchers, and learn about the natural world.
Overview
Added
March 7, 2026
Related situation
Audience
parent
Grade range
Kindergarten–Grade 5
Page kind
Social
Introduction
About iNaturalist
- Core Purpose: A global platform for naturalists to identify, track, and document plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms to contribute to biodiversity science.
- Key Statistics:
- 300M+ observations recorded.
- 550,000+ species documented.
- 7,000+ scientific papers cite iNaturalist data.
- 500+ species discovered or rediscovered by the community.
- How It Works:
- Observe: Photograph wild organisms anywhere in the world.
- Identify: Use instant app suggestions and community verification to confirm species.
- Contribute: Observations become open data used by researchers and conservationists.
- Accessibility: Open to everyone, from hobbyists to professional scientists; no prior expertise is required to participate.
- Research Grade: Observations reach "research grade" status once the community reaches a consensus on the identification, allowing them to enter the global scientific record.
- Platform Flexibility: Available via mobile app (recommended for on-the-go) and desktop website.
- Organization: iNaturalist is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting science and conservation.
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