# Viewing observations with large accuracy values **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [August 10, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094 "2023-08-10T20:42:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/1 "2023-08-10T20:42:45Z")
I found a record in GBIF that originated in iNaturalist but was not showing up on the map when filtered to a particular speceis. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?subview=map&taxon\_id=230339](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?subview=map&taxon_id=230339) Based upon this [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observations-lack-pin-in-map-view/7815](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/observations-lack-pin-in-map-view/7815) it appears that that is due to this observation [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122752441](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122752441) having a large accuracy value. Is there any way within iNaturalist to have records like this show up in the map or is there maybe some sneaky workaround to find them? Also, what is the accuracy value cutoff? I realize that this may seem esoteric but if this record is anywhere near the centroid, it is a very valuable one as there are no other records within more than 50km. ---
**Author:** ![GeolTel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/geoltel/32/76853_2.png) [@GeolTel](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/GeolTel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/2 "2023-08-10T20:55:22Z")
I still have (some) observations with accuracy\>30km showing on the map as tiny squares, eg. [Observations · iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?acc_above=30000&place_id=21&subview=map) ---
**Author:** ![cthawley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/cthawley/32/1445_2.png) [@cthawley](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/cthawley)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/3 "2023-08-10T21:10:41Z")
I don’t think there’s anyway to have them show up in iNat itself (but am not 100% sure). You can download the data and use mapping software to see it, or GBIF may show them, not sure. Info on the cutoff is here: [https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/research-grade-observation-not-showing-on-map/13608/5](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/research-grade-observation-not-showing-on-map/13608/5) ---
**Author:** ![david99](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/david99/32/21841_2.png) [@david99](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/david99)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/4 "2023-08-10T22:20:27Z")
The bigger the area of uncertainty, the less likely that the observation was even seen anywhere within the circle. It’s not unusual for me to find observations with a 30-50km radius of uncertainty, and then when asked the observer lists a location that’s outside of even that large circle. ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/5 "2023-08-10T22:21:25Z")
> [@DT\_Almquist](#): > > what is the accuracy value cutoff? - [https://github.com/inaturalist/inaturalist/blob/main/app/models/observation.rb#L3068-L3080](https://github.com/inaturalist/inaturalist/blob/main/app/models/observation.rb#L3068-L3080) - [https://github.com/inaturalist/inaturalist/blob/main/app/models/observation.rb#L2518-L2531](https://github.com/inaturalist/inaturalist/blob/main/app/models/observation.rb#L2518-L2531) > [@My observation doesn't appear on the map](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/my-observation-doesnt-appear-on-the-map/32724/4): > > iNat won’t map anything that exceeds the diagonal of a bounding box of 0.2 deg lat and 0.2 deg long, which is roughly 30km, depending where you are in the world. ---
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2023, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/6 "2023-08-11T23:03:51Z")
I understand that but if I don’t have a way to find the record then I can’t even ask the observer. ---
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/7 "2023-08-11T23:05:32Z")
Thanks and interesting and corresponds with taxon geoprivacy spp getting a default ca. 29km accuracy value. ---
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2023, 11:27pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/8 "2023-08-11T23:27:34Z")
Seems odd to not be able to see iNaturalist records within iNaturalist. I sortof get why, but still weird that I can only easily see some in GBIF and there are records that don’t even get migrated to GBIF. ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/9 "2023-08-12T00:20:47Z")
> [@DT\_Almquist](#): > > corresponds with taxon geoprivacy spp getting a default ca. 29km accuracy value yup. it’s the same calculation, since the obscuration box is also 0.2 lat by 0.2 long. conceptually, that accuracy value represents the maximum radius of a circle that encompasses the true location if the obscured location is in one corner of the box and the true location is in the opposite corner. ---
**Author:** ![thebeachcomber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/thebeachcomber/32/12748_2.png) [@thebeachcomber](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/thebeachcomber)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 12:37am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/10 "2023-08-12T00:37:19Z")
> [@DT\_Almquist](#): > > Seems odd to not be able to see iNaturalist records within iNaturalist. you can still see them if you use Identify > [@How to use iNaturalist's Search URLs - wiki part 1 of 2](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-use-inaturalists-search-urls-wiki-part-1-of-2/63/1): > > In Identify, `mappable` is set to `any` by default, but can be changed in the URL: > > - `&mappable=true` to find obs with public lat/lon and location accuracy below threshold > - `&mappable=false` to find obs with _either_ no public lat/lon _or_ large location accuracy (or failing quality checks) > - `&mappable=false&geo=true` to find obs with large location accuracy (see previous section for details on `geo`) ---
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 2:07am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/11 "2023-08-12T02:07:19Z")
> [@How to use iNaturalist's Search URLs - wiki part 1 of 2](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-use-inaturalists-search-urls-wiki-part-1-of-2/63/1): > > &mappable=false&geo=true I’m sorry; can you explain? I tried this and was still not able to see that record. [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon\_id=230339&mappable=false](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=230339&mappable=false) ---
**Author:** ![thebeachcomber](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/thebeachcomber/32/12748_2.png) [@thebeachcomber](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/thebeachcomber)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/12 "2023-08-12T02:24:10Z")
> [@How to use iNaturalist's Search URLs - wiki part 1 of 2](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-use-inaturalists-search-urls-wiki-part-1-of-2/63/1): > > &mappable=false&geo=true [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality\_grade=needs\_id%2Cresearch&place\_id=21&taxon\_id=211704&mappable=false&geo=true](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=needs_id%2Cresearch&place_id=21&taxon_id=211704&mappable=false&geo=true) ---
**Author:** ![DT\_Almquist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DT\_Almquist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DT_Almquist)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/13 "2023-08-14T23:29:08Z")
Is there a way to find all records for a species regardless of accuracy? That link only brings up that one record whereas I’d like to be able to search for all records for a species and see them all on a map. ---
**Author:** ![pisum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@pisum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pisum)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/14 "2023-08-15T01:41:09Z")
> [@DT\_Almquist](#): > > I’d like to be able to search for all records for a species and see them all on a map. if your set contains mappable=false records, they will never show up in the standard iNat mapping interface. the only reliable to map mappable=false records is to get their coordinates and map those as individual points (or to do your own other custom visualization using those individual points as a starting point). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2023, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/viewing-observations-with-large-accuracy-values/44094/15 "2023-10-14T01:41:11Z")
Closed on October 14, 2023, 1:41am UTC This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.