Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District - Biodiversity Stewardship

  Domain : Eukaryota - Organisms with complex cells which will contain a nucleus. Kingdom : Animalia - Multicellular, eukaryotic organisms that breathe oxygen, consume organic material, and can physically move. Phylum : Chordata - Animals that possess a notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, an endostyle or thyroid gland, and a tail extending beyond the anus. Class : Chordates with mammary glands for nursing young, a neocortex in the brain, body hair or fur, three bones in the middle ear, and warm-blooded metabolism. Order : Carnivora - Mammals that primarily eat meat, equipped with specialized teeth for capturing and consuming prey, often characterized by powerful jaws and heightened senses. Suborder : Caniformia - Carnivores that typically have non-retractable claws and long snouts. Family : Ursidae - Large mammals with stocky legs, large paws, long snouts, shaggy hair, and a “plantigrade” walk. Genus : Ursus - Bears characterized by their large bodies, powerful limbs,...

 Luckily enough, I gained some experience with the iNaturalist app in undergrad and used it for some labs in my natural resources curriculum. However, when I first used it I was in Vermont where I had studied local species and was tested on specific species many times. Thus, using iNaturalist in that environment where I had a pretty good understanding of what things were in the woods - allowed me to use the app as reassurance or confirmation that I had correctly identified a species. However, since moving to Hawaii and being in law school, I have not had much time to learn about native species or test myself as I learn. Thus, rediscovering the iNaturalist app has been extremely helpful and eye-opening.  When using the iNaturalist app, you can use it for your own identifications or to connect socially to see what other people have identified in your area. Sure! Thus, when you take a photo by yourself, you then upload it to the app and it provides an initial identification of th...