Your photos power conservation.
As biodiversity loss and extinctions accelerate around the world, we need data at a scale and speed that only community engagement can provide. Every observation helps scientists track species distributions, monitor environmental changes, and inform conservation decisions.
iNaturalist supports open science and data. The platform creates a collaborative approach where anyone around the world can make observations that contribute to our understanding of the natural world.
How iNaturalist observations contribute to conservation
Studying nature and wildlife
When people share photos of plants and animals they see, it helps us learn about nature. Scientists can use this information to figure out where different species live and how they're doing over time.
Species conservation and management
iNaturalist observations provide data for informed, species-specific conservation efforts. For rare or declining species, community observations can provide valuable information about where populations are found, what their habitat requirements are, and patterns over time that all can come together to inform conservation strategies.
Spotting invasive species
iNaturalist observations can serve as early warning systems for local agencies to be on the lookout for and rapidly respond to non-native, introduced species.
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