The iNaturalist Mexico platform (iNaturalistMX) has reached a historic milestone: 10 million observations of natural richness by the public. This achievement positions Mexico as one of the world’s most active countries in citizen science and demonstrates the power of collective participation to generate useful, accessible, and transformative knowledge.
From rainforests to deserts, and from cities to mountains and coastlines, thousands of Mexicans—amateurs, students, scientists, and families—have contributed photographs of plants, animals, and fungi. Each observation, dated and located, represents not just a piece of data, but a direct connection between people and nature.
An impact that transcends science
The platform’s information is publicly available, and this has led to a proliferation of scientific knowledge. Hundreds of scientific articles base their information on observations obtained through citizen science. To date, 22,000 plant species, nearly 4,000 fungal species, and 30,000 animal species have been recorded.
An important aspect is that the information is recorded in real time. For example, currently, the available scientific records of the Monarch Butterfly for Mexico total 2,640 from 1903 to 2021 (SNIB 2026), while the records obtained through citizen science in the last decade total 20,243 (iNaturalistMX 2026)!
However, the value of these 10 million records extends far beyond academia. You can explore many of the results in Natural Histories. The information generated by society is finding concrete applications in numerous sectors:
Nature Conservation: iNaturalistMX data allows for the identification of species distribution, the detection of ecosystem changes, and the development of conservation strategies. Species are labeled according to their risk status and whether they are native or introduced. The information obtained is reliable and up-to-date. In a megadiverse country like Mexico, this information is crucial for protecting and restoring endangered species and habitats.
Nature Education: The platform has become a powerful educational tool. Students of all levels learn to observe, identify, and appreciate nature, developing scientific skills and a sense of environmental responsibility.
Unlike traditional environmental education, the platform allows for education in nature , discovering plants, fungi, and animals with which we coexist without paying attention.
iNaturalistMX is a tool that, for the first time ever, provides ecological context for populations, cities, boroughs and municipalities, states, regions, and the country. From the platform, teachers can use relevant and meaningful local examples for their students.
Natural Culture: Documenting nature is also a way to recognize the country’s natural heritage, which we have systematically ignored. In Mexico, a great diversity of plant, fungal, and animal species (more than 5,000 species) are linked to traditions, Indigenous languages , and local knowledge. iNaturalistMX contributes to making this cultural wealth visible and preserving it.
In the Mexican node of the platform, we have included hundreds of common names at the species, genus, family, order, class, and phylum levels to facilitate access for the public and eliminate the need to know the Latin scientific names to find species. In addition, we have added hundreds of common names in Indigenous languages to promote the use and preservation of these languages.
Nature tourism finds a strategic ally in this platform. It’s not just about being immersed in a jungle, forest, desert, or coral reef; now it’s possible to identify and learn about the vast majority of living beings in these ecosystems that have inhabited the country for millions of years.
Birdwatchers, naturalists, and travelers can use the information to discover unique natural sites, promoting sustainable local economies. For tour guides, iNaturalistMX is a living encyclopedia at their fingertips.
Tourism businesses can offer new biocultural experiences to their guests using the information gathered from conducting inventories in their hotels and surrounding areas. Furthermore, they can create conservation and restoration plans that improve environmental conditions.
Health: Contact with nature and active observation have proven benefits for physical and mental health, something increasingly necessary. Furthermore, observations are being used to detect species associated with health risks, such as disease vectors.
A country of naturalists
The story of iNaturalist in Mexico (iNaturalistMX) began in 2012, when a collaboration between Mexican specialists and its creators allowed the country to become the platform’s first international node ; the following year, the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) launched NaturaLista, its version adapted to the national context, integrating local knowledge, names in Spanish and indigenous languages, and tools for conservation.
Since then, the community has grown extraordinarily, positioning Mexico as a world leader in citizen science on biodiversity and consolidating a model in which thousands of people generate useful knowledge for education, culture and the protection of nature.
Currently, iNaturalistMX is hosted by the civil society organization Transformación, Arte y Educación, AC, and periodically provides the collected data to the National Biodiversity Information System (SNIB) of CONABIO. In the last two years, we have created a continuing education website that complements the Somosnaturalistas.mx platform , where everyone can further their training as naturalists.
Our greatest wealth: Mexico is recognized as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, home to an enormous wealth of species and ecosystems. Our biocultural wealth is vast, diverse, and steeped in history. However, this diversity can only be preserved if it is recognized and valued by its own society.
Therefore, the message is clear: all Mexicans can and should be naturalists. No specialized training is required, just curiosity, attentiveness, and a cell phone. Every record counts. Every observation matters.
Being a naturalist today means actively participating in the knowledge, conservation, and restoration of the country’s natural world. It means rediscovering the everyday environment, from a plant on the sidewalk to a coral in the sea, and understanding that every form of life has a special place in the ecological and evolutionary interconnectedness of the planet.
“There is grandeur in this view of life… that from so simple a beginning endless forms, the most beautiful and wonderful, have arisen and continue to arise.” Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species. 1859.
A collective achievement
Reaching 10 million observations is a shared achievement. It’s the result of thousands of people (181,000) who have chosen to observe closely, learn, and contribute. It demonstrates that scientific endeavors can be collaborative and can be built from any corner of the country. Thank you to all the participants—beginners, advanced users, tutors, and curators. Your efforts are yielding valuable knowledge for the entire nation.
The challenge now is to continue growing: more people, more species observed, more knowledge and, above all, a society more connected with its nature.
Because knowing is the first step to respecting, valuing, and caring. And in Mexico, a country overflowing with life, nature is not just wealth: it is a living legacy that we must protect and restore, together.
Curious Gazes Today, those 10 million observations are not just numbers: they are stories. They are curious gazes, unexpected discoveries, and moments of wonder at the life that surrounds us. They are girls, young women, families, scientists, and citizens who decided to pause for a moment to recognize that Mexico is one of the most vibrant countries on the planet.
Through iNaturalistMX, everyone can become part of this great community of naturalists, because getting to know nature is also the first step in caring for it. In a megadiverse country like ours, observing is an act of identity and a commitment to the future. And this story is just beginning.
Let’s build history together, today you can be a naturalist!
Carlos Galindo Leal April 27, 2026