Where your curiosity contributes to science.
Identify plants, animals, fungi, and more while adding to a living atlas of life on Earth.
Free, nonprofit, community-powered.
With iNaturalist, you can:
Identify
plants, animals, fungi, & more
Track
species you've seen worldwide
Discover
nature nearby
Contribute
to real science
Learn
from a global community of naturalists
The power of community science
Every observation tells a story
- Who
-
tiwane
- What
-
Emerald Glass Frog
Espadarana prosoblepon
- Where
-
Barrio Flaminia, Heredia, Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
- When
-
Mar 25, 2023 · 8:38 PM CST
300M +
observations contributing to biodiversity science
550,000 +
species documented across the globe
7,000 +
papers citing iNaturalist data
500 +
species discovered or rediscovered by community scientists
1
Observe
Open the app and photograph any wild plant, animal, fungi, or other organism — from your neighborhood or anywhere in the world.
2
Identify
The app suggests an identification instantly, and a global community of naturalists confirms or refines it.
3
Contribute
Your observation becomes open data — used by scientists, conservationists, and researchers worldwide.
Why?
Nature is changing faster than ever, so we need you to help record what lives where.
It has really helped me with species identification, in addition to giving me the opportunity to interact with different people around the world.
Everyone is a naturalist
If you've ever looked closely at something living and wondered what it was, iNaturalist is for you.
You can make an impact
Every photo you share becomes part of a global scientific record that researchers worldwide depend on.
Download the iNaturalist app
Get real-time identifications & contribute to science
700,000+ Downloads
Explore species worldwide
Goldenrod Crab Spider
Misumena vatia
Sainte-Adèle, QC J8B 1N9, Canada
Paraplanocera
Woolgoolga NSW 2456, Australia
Mycena podocarpi
Momorangi Bay 7281, New Zealand
Calvatomina superba
Wilton, Wellington, New Zealand
Phidiana unilineata
Visakhapatnam Urban, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
white fawnlily
Erythronium albidum
Cucumbertree Trail, Athens, OH, US
Nereidinae
Beverly, MA, USA
Neotrichozetes spinulosa
Pareora West, ニュージーランド
ruby bonnet
Cruentomycena viscidocruenta
Sydney NSW, Australia
Paridotea ungulata
Boronia Beach Track, Kingston Beach, TAS, AU
Teleopsis sykesii
Ranipuram, Kerala, India
Climacoptera lanata
Каракиянский район, Казахстан
Common Sunburst Lichen
Xanthoria parietina
X5W5+M9, Lancaster LA2 0BS, UK
Eurasian Otter
Lutra lutra
Kristinestad, Finland
Arcyria
San Mateo County, CA, USA
Hairy Oyster Mushroom
Panus lecomtei
Coto Brus, Puntarenas, CR
Willie Wagtail
Rhipidura leucophrys
Woolgoolga NSW 2456, Australia
Rivularia
Southland, New Zealand
King Penguin
Aptenodytes patagonicus
Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island
Southern Gerenuk
Litocranius walleri walleri
Isiolo North, KE-IS, KE
Under 13? Download Seek!
Earn badges and take part in challenges to observe species!
20,000+ 5-Star Reviews
Get our monthly newsletter!
Stay connected with stories and discoveries from the iNaturalist community.
iNaturalist is a nonprofit organization that supports science and conservation.
Your support makes that possible.
FAQs
Yes! As long as you know roughly when and where a photo was taken, older photos are welcome.
Who can do science with iNaturalist observations?Anyone! All iNaturalist observations are open and freely available — to researchers, conservation practitioners, and curious individuals alike.
What does "research grade" mean?When the community agrees on an identification, an observation becomes "research grade" and enters the global scientific record. Every identification can help get it there.
Do I need to know what I'm looking at?Not at all! Share a photo, and a global community of naturalists can help you identify it.
Do I need to use the app?On a desktop, iNaturalist.org works great. On a mobile device, the app gives you the best experience — especially for identifying species on the go.