One organism or sign
Create one record per organism or observable sign. Do not mix different species in the same observation.
Community science · Practical guide
Observe without disturbing
Documenting a plant, animal, fungus or sign can add knowledge without turning observation into disturbance.
Prepare an observationConcept image. Always respect site rules and boundaries.
iNaturalist
An observation brings together evidence, date and place
An iNaturalist observation records an encounter with an organism at a particular time and place. The community can help identify it using photographs, sounds and context.
It is not a cenote listing or an infrastructure report: it describes the organism or sign observed.
A useful record
What it should contain
Photograph or sound
Add clear evidence: several views can help, but never harm an organism for an image. Sounds can also document a presence.
Date and location
Record when and where you observed it. If there is no connection, keep the record and upload it later.
Evidence never justifies harm
Not touching is part of the record
- 01
Do not touch, capture, feed or move organisms.
- 02
Do not open nests, shelters or cavities to obtain a photograph.
- 03
Do not enter colonies, restricted caves or fragile areas.
- 04
Do not reveal a sensitive location; use iNaturalist geoprivacy when needed.
Identifications that evolve
Needs ID · Research Grade
Needs ID
The observation still needs the community to refine or confirm its identification.
Research Grade
The observation meets iNaturalist community quality criteria. It is not a Cenote Scout certification.
Contributing or correcting an identification
Add an identification only when you can support it, and explain your reasoning when useful. If an identification should change, propose the correction on the original iNaturalist observation: Cenote Scout does not modify taxonomy.
Visible authorship
Licences and attribution
Each photograph retains its author and licence. Cenote Scout displays only CC0 or CC BY images in this pilot and links to the original record. Do not download or reuse an image without checking its individual licence.
The right channel matters
What does not belong on iNaturalist
Use Cenote Scout for practical site changes.
- Prices or hours
- Road, access or cenote location
- Waste or apparently contaminated water
- Damaged infrastructure or missing facilities