Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

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Do you think that NAFHA should create a project on iNaturalist?

Yes
4
31%
No
8
62%
Undecided - need more info
1
8%
 
Total votes: 13

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Squam8
Posts: 101
Joined: November 30th, 2010, 4:49 pm
Location: San Diego, California

Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by Squam8 »

Hi NAFHA members,

I've been following this forum for a number of years but in recent years have not posted much nor uploaded much to the database. Its not that I haven't been collecting data, but rather accumulating lots of photos and field notes that sit around in my computer or desk drawer. The major thing preventing me from uploading this stuff to the database is a lack of free time, which is unfortunate (as a graduate student, I can always find something relatively urgent that should be occupying my attention at any given moment). However I recently started getting into the iNaturalist app. The nice thing about this app is you can quickly snap a photo on your phone and it can import all the metadata right into your entry. In the field it only takes about 1 minute to make an entry, so it's not like I have to sit down in front of my computer to enter data every time I get home after an outing, which I am rarely in the mood to do after a herping trip (yeah I'm kinda lazy). Also, it's not restricted by taxonomy or geography, so you can accumulate sightings of other things too like birds or plants, or herps outside north america. It's cool because people can help you ID stuff you don't know. I'm learning a lot about plants that way right now, as I go herping! The project features is very flexible, for instance I am sharing my herp data from SoCal with the RASCALS project (run by LA County and San Diego Natural History Museums) and there is a seperate project for Baja California, etc. Similar to NAFHA, you can set your coordinates to be private, obscured, or open. I noticed some folks have accounts on both sites. I was wondering if NAFHA has any plans to create a project on iNaturalist so I can share my observations with NAFHA that way? It would be much more efficient and probably would get a lot more data into NAFHA from other lazy people like me ultimately. It is easy to set filters on the projects so that a) only reptile and amphibians would be allowed into the project database and b) only entries from North America would be allowed.

For more info check out http://www.inaturalist.org
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Noah M
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Re: Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by Noah M »

How do I put this politely?

NAFHA is no longer connected to HERP or any one specific database. While HERP will always hold a special place in our heart, whether or not you use HERP or iNaturalist is up to you.

I will point out that HERP has its own phone app to allow in-the-field data entry, but I don't know much about it.

I can forward your message over to the HERP people if you're interested.

-Noah
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Each database (and there are others besides the ones being discussed here) has its advantages and disadvantages.

I currently use both HERP and iNaturalist.

There are folks who would pay good money for an app which "translated" data between the various extant databases.
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Chris Smith
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Joined: June 7th, 2010, 9:13 pm
Location: Minnesota

Re: Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by Chris Smith »

NAFHA doesn't have a database. Several very significant issues with iNat, PM for details. HerpMapper is one of (the?) fastest growing herp database and the one I prefer. HerpMapper has an easy to use website and app, and is global. The HerpMapper app doesn't require cellphone data / signal to work in the field. It also has many agencies, nonprofits, and universities using its data in realtime.

Chris- HerpMapper can bulk import data from multiple databases, see: http://www.herpmapper.org/importing-data

Chris
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chrish
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Re: Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by chrish »

Squam8 wrote:However I recently started getting into the iNaturalist app. The nice thing about this app is you can quickly snap a photo on your phone and it can import all the metadata right into your entry. In the field it only takes about 1 minute to make an entry, so it's not like I have to sit down in front of my computer to enter data every time I get home after an outing, which I am rarely in the mood to do after a herping trip (yeah I'm kinda lazy). Also, it's not restricted by taxonomy or geography, so you can accumulate sightings of other things too like birds or plants, or herps outside north america.
I use all three of the databases in question (HERP, Inaturalist, and Herpmapper) and am involved in a variety of ways with each one. They are different and serve different audiences.

I prefer Herpmapper for the ease of entering data. It is the fastest of the three, either through its app or directly online with the bulk upload. It also will read EXIF data for time, date and GPS coordinates so you only really have to ID the record to species/subspecies and you are done.

The one feature Inaturalist has that I wish Herpmapper had was the ability of other users to Agree or Disagree with identification and to comment on records.

The real downsides for Inaturalist for me is:
1. Their import tool doesn't work so I can't import my HERP records into it (I have been in communication with the admin/tech guy about this problem).
2. Their reliance on Soundcloud for uploading recordings. HERP and Herpmapper let you upload an MP3 as a voucher directly. In Inaturalist you have to open a separate Soundcloud account, upload the record there and link it to your inat record. It is quite a bit more work (mostly because the soundcloud upload process sucks!) and there are intellectual property/security issues with Soundcloud.
3. Data/location security is a bigger issue with inaturalist than the other two. Even with the data "obscured" on inat, you can still see roughly where the critter was found. 99% of the time that isn't important, but sometimes it is, and it is one of the big issues that scares some people away from inaturalist.

If someone wants to roll their data over to inaturalist from HERP, they will be able to once the import process is fixed.
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Fundad
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Re: Integrating NAFHA with iNaturalist?

Post by Fundad »

I will be working with Inaturalist to build a partnership, and I have been working on this very thing in the future.

When I dmo I may catch up with you to help. :twisted:

Inaturalist is a great citizen science project.

Brian Hinds
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