What is iNaturalist and how to record your observation?
iNaturalist is a global citizen science platform that allows anyone – from casual nature lovers to professional researchers – to record and share observations of biodiversity. It’s a joint initiative by the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, and it’s widely used for ecological monitoring, species identification, and conservation efforts.
Divers and marine enthusiasts can use iNaturalist to document the species they encounter under the jetties. Here’s how:
- Take a Photo or Video Capture clear images of marine life during your dive – fish, invertebrates, algae, or any other organism.
- Upload to iNaturalist Use the iNaturalist website or mobile app to upload your observation. You’ll include:
- The photo(s)
- Date and time
- Location (GPS or manually selected)
- Any notes or species ID (if known)
- Automatic Identification & Community Input iNaturalist uses AI to suggest species based on your photo. The community can also help confirm or refine the identification.
- Project Integration Observations from Edithburgh and Wool Bay are grouped into dedicated Marine Watch projects, allowing researchers and the public to track changes over time:
These projects help monitor biodiversity, detect seasonal trends, and support conservation efforts in South Australia’s coastal ecosystems.
