Report a Wildlife Sighting

Photo by Avery Howe/Friends of Acadia

Why report a wildlife sighting?

Witnessing wildlife can be an exhilarating experience. Park managers rely on public observations to understand wildlife interactions in Acadia. By reporting a wildlife sighting, visitors can help park managers preserve native species and habitats.

Park rangers cannot be everywhere all at once. By reporting a wildlife sighting, visitors can be park staff’s eyes and ears in the field. Public wildlife reports help park scientists understand behavioral patterns and overall ecosystem health.

Public reports of a sick or injured animal can prompt park staff to help. Park rangers have the training to intervene while keeping animals and people safe.

Always maintain a safe distance from wildlife and never attempt to feed, pet, or interact. Remember, the best relationship with wildlife is a long distance one.

Wildlife reports

Dangerous encounters with animals are rare in Acadia but can happen. If there is an immediate threat to visitor safety, call 911 immediately.

To report a non-emergent wildlife sighting in Acadia National Park, email the Acadia wildlife program. Please include the following information:

• Date and time of sighting

• Location (include GPS coordinates if you have them)

• Species or animal description

• Description of the animal’s behavior (what were they doing?)

• Does the animal look to be sick or injured?

• Photo or video of the animal if you have one

Please report Marine Wildlife by calling Allied Whale, the region's marine mammal stranding response organization, at [phone].

 

Citizen Science

If you would like to get more involved with wildlife biology at Acadia National Park, you can engage in citizen science. Tools like eBird or iNaturalist allow members of the public to share wildlife observations with larger science projects. Check out the National Park Service Citizen Science website or CitizenScience.gov to join a citizen science project..

Non-emergency wildlife sightings can be reported using iNaturalist, an online platform, app and website, that allows users to record sightings of the plants and animals around them while also collecting data for science and conservation. By recording observations within the park, you can help inform scientists and resource managers about the health of Acadia’s plants, animals, and ecosystems.

These types of sightings include:

• Any interesting animals you happen to see during your visit to Acadia, including black bears, raccoons, and porcupines

• Invasive plant species: You can find a list of target invasive plant species by following this link to www.nps.gov/acad/learn/nature/invasive_plants

• Pests or signs of pests, like the emerald ash borer

Every observation, even of common species, can provide valuable data on the status of Acadia’s resources.

How To Use iNaturalist

1. Create an iNaturalist account using the iNaturalist app or online at https://www.inaturalist.org/signup

2. To make an observation, select "Observe" and use the camera to take a picture or upload a picture from your camera roll. You can also use the app to record a sound.

3. Choose an identification for what you saw or heard. Select the “What Did I See” option to view suggestions or search for a specific species. If you’re not sure what you saw, you can always choose a broad category, like plant, animal, or fungi

4. The app should automatically record the date, time, and location of the observation. If it doesn’t you may need to check the privacy settings in the app.

5. Save and share your observation. Now other users are able to view your observation and either confirm or refute your identification. Once two different users have agreed on an identification, your observation is considered research grade, meaning it is reliable and suitable to be used for scientific research.