Interesting. I don’t think I have come across anyone with personal and professional accounts. (So someone will probably prove me wrong ;~)
1 Like
It’s a requirement for federal (U.S.) employees. They can’t use their personal accounts for certain work-related tasks.
5 Likes
Those are some nice-looking moths! :)
Here’s a few of my “iNat first” ones, all ones that I’m 100% sure others on here have seen, but no one else has both dissected them to ID and used iNat to post sightings:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182125758
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183762989
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184795288
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183038828
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/58378728
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/180727510
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184617477
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178942550
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183038893
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147151165
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147151165
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183038956
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183038973
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178590709
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178590706
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183038875
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183449578
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/171049760
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183449608
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183789947
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183449597
This one is a first record for the United States, of a species that externally is identical to another common one and is probably being overlooked:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/148624803
This is the first known female found of the species, which was described from only male material:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/47852230
I enjoy posting all this stuff, but I sometimes feel like I’m in a weird sort of limbo as someone who does dissection and specimen-collecting, but also likes communicating about finds with the community on iNat. I’m not in academia, so I don’t quite fit in with the “real” researchers, but I also don’t do the nature photography and personal “life listing” thing, so I often feel like don’t quite fit in here with the gamification aspect and emphasis on the “observer experience”.
Maybe I’m just jaded by my experience in the birding community. The obsession that I saw there with “life lists” and people going out of their way burning hundreds of gallons of gasoline to check birds at already-known locations off their personal lists was just tragic IMO. I just figure when I’m dead and gone, the difference between “Paul caught a moth at X location” and “Paul had a specimen from his buddy Jim from X location” will be completely irrelevant to anyone looking through my records. But if it matters on here, I’ll be careful to only post ones I personally caught from now on.
7 Likes
but we all use iNat in different ways. I record what is interesting when I hike, pick thru the photos, and my life list grows like a sapling. I also take photos of the same old same old that I don’t yet have on iNat. (Electric car and solar panels so not burning gasoline, and not choosing to do unnecessary kilometres either)
2 Likes
I would say it falls under this, as they are essentially for different roles and are never used for each-other; e.g. backing up IDs for ‘rare’ observations. I think if someone was doing that, it would be a very different story.
I don’t think it does; each to their own. As long as you have permission to access the photos.
2 Likes
Parrots on the isle of Krk in Croatia!
I have just one obseration made myself in the first half of September 2023, but the pictures have been taken by my wife in my presence.
Parrots at the isle of Krk in the Kvarner area in Croatioa! I dont´t know how they came to this place. Probably they are fugitives from captivity. But now they are wild birds!
Would anybody be so nice and IDing the exact species? Thanks in advace!
1 Like
No, you should not do this (have a separate account for observations from friends and family). Uploading the rare observation from someone else on your own account with attribution is not encouraged, but also not considered a serious issue. Having multiple accounts (except for the exception for running a professional account like for a park or government entity that @swampster noted or a teacher managing a class account for underage students) can be a serious issue.
Staff response to a similar question on an older thread with this question was:
3 Likes
Hmm ok, fair enough. It was less than 30 observations, all of them photos of species rarely observed that I wanted recorded somewhere (the photos now only exist on iNat) I won’t be adding any more to that account.
2 Likes
I’m not sure I see why B is even an issue. One extremely important factor that made me set up an iNaturalist account is that it does allow dead specimens. If you had the patience to wade through all my observations, you’ll note that my first was a deceased shorebird that eBird wouldn’t let me log. There are many wonderful people who document bird strikes who ask for ID assistance on iNat. People document road kill. If your colleague has killed a moth I would note the cause of mortality and post it.
I would definitely consider doing C and adding a note. I might ask on SM first, and I always encourage people to set up an account and ask themselves. Being an iNaturalist doesn’t always “take,” but sometimes it does. :)
Thanks for this thoughtful post! Cool question about the specimens, and I have no guidance. As a frequent IDer, I will say that I will ID anything I can but hunter’s kills (especially frequent and prolific ones) and captive wildlife. I don’t ID the humans, but I do ID the cats. If I could ID your specimen, I would do so. I support curiosity about nature.
2 Likes
I don’t know iNat’s stances off the bat (heh), but I think your dilemma comes in part from the controversy over fanart and AMVs that started maybe in mid-2000s . People would post art without a username of the artist in the description, and on occasion some people would flat out say that they drew it. Some people would post an AMV and because they had more clout or views in some other way, they could get more likes on it then the original maker (and since it was on their account, they never needed to say that it was made by them, because that was assumed). Because of this it became a moral issue that a lot of people had to think about.
Just relax. You’re not stealing artwork. Just because you post it on your account doesn’t make it yours. Just add the disclaimer in the description and you’ll be fine, just like it was in the old days. You can’t change the website from using words that describes it as your art or from random strangers browsing and not reading the description assuming its yours, but…that doesn’t actually matter. You’re fine.
1 Like
then iNat attributes the copyright to you.
That is against iNat rules.
It should be your own photo or artwork. And about your own engagement with nature.
2 Likes
This is incorrect as @DianaStuder noted. Please don’t post drawings or photos that are not your own.
2 Likes
Unless you have explicitly asked the photographer for permission, and whether and how they would like to be credited, like I did on some of my friends’ photos. They are on my account with a short description and all involved are fine with that.
3 Likes
I used my husband’s photo from this morning. He hikes UP the mountain, while I pootle around the slope. (Maybe … the second time I have used one of his photos?)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187893529
We are allowed a few, as exceptions.
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.