Resources

iNaturalist

App links for android and for iOS.

What it is: A platform to document, record and identify any plant, animal, fungus, or other organism you spot in nature.

How it works: Take a photo, upload it, and the app database along with the community helps identify the species. Every registered campus has a project, your observation will get added to your campus project directly.

Best for: Exploring, documenting and learning about all biodiversity. The app's AI and comments from the community are extremely useful in identifying what you have seen.

Quick guide: Here is a video on how to use iNaturalist. Here is a cheat sheet (pdf) which you can take a print out of, and distribute among your college students.
The iNaturalist website also has a help page which has links to all the video tutorials which can guide you on using the app and making an observation.

Project: Here is the Campus Biodiversity Register Project on iNaturalist. Your campus projects and observations will show up under this project.

eBird

App links for android and for iOS.

What it is: A global database specifically for bird sightings, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

How it works: Log your bird sightings via checklists, explore hotspots and look for likely species around you, and connect with millions of birders worldwide.

Best for: Best for use by participants who want to identify birds or log their species.

If you are new to Birding: The Merlin Bird ID app is a handy tool for identifying birds based on a few simple questions about what you saw, photographs, or bird calls. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Learn how to use Merlin through the tutorial videos available in English, Hindi and Tamil.

Quick guide: Please see these videos in English and Hindi to learn how to use eBird.

Project: A Campus Biodiversity Register project has been created on eBird. All observers should join this project. Once you have joined, the project will appear in your eBird app. Before submitting a checklist from your campus, please select the ‘Campus Biodiversity Register’ project to include your checklist in the project.

SeasonWatch

App link for android.

What it is: A citizen science program that tracks seasonal changes in trees (flowers, fruits, and leaves) across India.

Best for: Tracking specific trees over time, contributing to climate research.

Quick guide: The SeasonWatch website homepage has a 'How to Register' part which has links to all the step by step tutorials which can guide you on using the app and making an observation.

You can also refer to these step wise videos: Step 1, Step 2.

There are also pedagogy resources on the website.

FIELD GUIDES

Here is a list of field guides which can be useful to identify biodiversity on your campus. The guides are divided based on the group of animals.

BIRDS

PLANTS

INSECTS

SPIDERS

REPTILES

MAMMALS

MARINE BIODIVERSITY

FUNGI

Please find more region-specific resources and field guides on the SNAIL Network.