Enjoying Outside, Inside - Zooniverse

Nate Lillge • February 7, 2022

Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) captured at Tuleyome's Silver Spur Ranch

Citizen Science is a great way from non-scientists to engage in scientific studies. If you have entered an observation into iNaturalist, participated in a bird count or flower survey, you are a citizen scientist! The great thing about being a citizen scientist is that there is no education necessary!


The internet has made it easy for people of all abilities and locations to participate in studies around the world. If you live in Fairbanks, you can participate in studies in Africa; someone in Egypt can help Amazonian studies; miners can participate with space-based observations.

Zooniverse hosts a variety of research in many fields including climate, history, literature, social science, and nature. Zooniverse is the largest and most popular place for "people-powered research." Research that would be impossible or impractical is accomplished by citizen scientists assisting professional researchers.


Ever been to Kenya? Want to learn how to identify animals in Kenya? Check out Wildwatch Kenya. You will help count, identify, and track giraffes and other wildlife in northern Kenya. If animals in an urban area intrigue you, participate in the eMammal project. You will help classify different animals in the North Carolina and Virginia areas as well as in Utah and the Seattle region.


If you want to keep it local, check out CalBug and Capturing California’s Flowers, both offered by Notes from Nature. This organization uses Zooniverse to help transcribe museum records. On CalBug, citizen scientists transcribe specimens for the California Terrestrial Arthropds Database. If creepy-crawlies make your skin crawl, participate in Capturing California’s Flowers, the project that uses digital images to investigate phenological change in a biodiversity hotspot (California)! Tuleyome is working on creating a project or two - stay tuned!


Check out what Zooniverse has to offer and help scientists around the world with their studies. You will learn something and increase your observation skills!


-Nate Lillge; nlillge@tuleyome.org


Adventures and Engagement Director


Certified California Naturalist

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