iNaturalist: Discover Nature, Identify Species, Contribute Data

iNaturalist is a smartphone app that helps users identify plants, animals and fungi by combining AI-powered species suggestions with verification from a global community of nature enthusiasts. You can capture observations directly with your phone camera or import photos from your device library.

The app’s approach mixes automated computer-vision identification with human review. Observations that reach “research-grade” status are shared with biodiversity platforms and used by scientists to track species distributions and support conservation efforts.

• Quick ID: AI suggests likely species based on your photo.
• Community review: Experts and enthusiasts confirm or refine IDs.
• Data for research: Validated observations feed biodiversity databases (e.g., GBIF) and scientific projects.

iNaturalist is widely used by citizen scientists, educators and researchers. If you want to try it, visit the official site: iNaturalist.org.

Have a few photos on your phone? Try snapping one next time you’re outside and see what the app suggests — it’s an easy way to learn more about local wildlife while contributing useful data.

Discussion: Have you used iNaturalist or a similar app? What surprising species did you discover?