iNaturalist Snail Hunting for Citizen Science

Assist AZGFD biologists with monitoring for native land snails on your own time!

Download the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet. Create an iNaturalist account and link to the Department's "Land Snails of Arizona" project. Make sure your device has its GPS location enabled. Go for a hike and look for snails--ideally right after it rains. When you find snails or shells, use the app to photograph what you found and the nearby habitat. Add a few notes on where you are and the weather condition, and the app will upload your new records via WiFi to a cloud-based database. It's easy! 

When you finish submitting observation records on the app, be sure to report your volunteer hours (including travel time to and from the site). Recording your hours in a timely manner allows us to leverage your work for federal and state grant funding ~$35 per hour. Not only does your work directly benefit wildlife, but leveraging funds allows conservation dollars to go even further. Instructions can be found here. 

An in-person training will be scheduled for late-January 2024, but is not required to begin. To register, or for questions about this project please contact Jeff Sorensen at jsorensen@azgfd.gov.

Additional details: Don't hike alone! Bring water, snacks, and protection from the sun or rain. Let someone know when you will be leaving and when you will return.