The idea is that there are very few extinct in the wild animals that have been documented on iNaturalist when they still existed in the wild (examples being spix’s macaw and the Hawaiian crow) so would it be appropriate for creatures that can only be found in captivity be eligible for such if that i…

Why would they be? Wild is a requirement for Research Grade, why would Extinct in the Wild species be any different? You’re not really contributing to any research by documenting them, either. Nearly all Extinct in the Wild species are heavily managed with things like studybooks and SSPs, meaning t…

Well, if they’re not wild they’re not wild, data on their current distribution should already be known to those interested, so there’s no additional point to get them to RG.

The iNaturalist definition of Research Grade includes the requirement of the record being “Wild”. However, non-wild data is of inestimable value in research and is certainly research grade to researchers if it has a date, accurate locality and can be identified. For instance, “what are the most com…

I appreciate the long response, this is my first forum post so I’m not trying to present any requested changes, just something I’d been thinking about

[image] raymie: You’re not really contributing to any research by documenting them, either. Not true: we are using iNaturalist to track these for research purposes in restoration projects in the Cape. So they do count.

for example https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/585281-Erica-verticillata

If you need to track them they’re not really in captivity, are they?

This is about deliberate revegatation projects for extinct in the wild. To record when the newly returned plants are spreading from their seeds and becoming truly wild once more. Moraea villosa on Rondebosch Common was almost extinct in the wild, now reintroduced and establishing a new population.

Yes, there are rare cases in which you may encounter “Extinct in the Wild” species in the wild. (I would argue that means they aren’t REALLY Extinct in the Wild). But that doesn’t mean all Extinct in the Wild organisms should be eligible for Research Grade. In fact it would cause much more harm than…

Should Extinct in the wild species attain “research grade” even if captivity?

General

Fahoodie1852 September 30, 2021, 2:23pm 4

Fait point, my idea only stems from the fact the likelihood of seeing one in the wild is nonexistent

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Should Extinct in the wild species attain “research grade” even if captivity?

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