Solitude World’s iNaturalist Projects Turn Guests into Citizen Scientists
When you think of diving in Lembeh, Anilao or anywhere in the Coral Triangle, the first thing that comes to mind is often the astonishing diversity of marine life—rare muck critters, cunning octopuses, frolicking mantas, gliding whale sharks, frenzied sharks and dazzling reefscapes. But what if your next dive could also make a real contribution to marine science?
Connecting dive travel with global marine research
That’s exactly what Solitude World is encouraging through its latest citizen science initiative: two long-term species documentation projects hosted on iNaturalist.org, one of the world’s largest biodiversity databases.
Under the banners of the Solitude World Species Study in Lembeh and Anilao, and the Solitude World Species Study in the Coral Triangle, the Solitude resorts and liveaboards are inviting guests, dive guides and underwater photographers to document and upload their marine life observations from their dives. These contributions go far beyond personal records—the data becomes part of a global resource accessed by researchers, conservationists and nature enthusiasts worldwide.
Running from June 2025 to June 2028, the study invites divers and underwater photographers to help build a scientifically usable, open-access archive of the various marine ecosystems across the Coral Triangle.
Building a Living Archive
This isn’t a behavioural study—it’s something more foundational. By capturing photographic sightings over time and pairing them with environmental metadata, we aim to:
- establish a baseline of species presence and abundance
- track ecological shifts tied to moon phase, temperature, seasonality and diver activity, to name a few
- create a living archive of reef life
How to Get Started on iNaturalist
Getting involved is easy, whether you’re a first-time user or a seasoned diver with an eye for species ID. Here’s how to register and join the Solitude World projects:
1. Create an Account
- Visit www.inaturalist.org
- Click “Sign Up” in the upper right corner
- You can register with your email, Google, Facebook or Apple account
- Complete your profile—it helps others connect with your observations
2. Join the Projects
Once your account is set up, search for our projects and click “Join” at the top right of each project page.
- Solitude World Species Study in Lembeh and Anilao
- Solitude World Species Study in the Coral Triangle
3. Start Observing
- Take clear photos of marine life during your dives
- Upload your sightings via the iNaturalist app or website
- Include the date, location and details like Depth and Temperature and Behaviour Observed and Habitat in the “Observation Fields” for each species uploaded
- iNaturalist’s AI and community will help identify species if you’re unsure
4. Make It Count
- Tag your observations to the appropriate Solitude project
- Your data has now become part of a global biodiversity record used by scientists and conservationists
Divers Can Fill the Gaps
The Coral Triangle, which spans parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and beyond, is home to the highest marine biodiversity on Earth. But many of its species are under-documented, and some are still being discovered. With researchers unable to cover every reef and muck site, the help of more eyes and lenses—like those of divers—is invaluable.
Supporting the effort is marine biologist Dr Dave Harasti, who will write and present a scientific paper at the end of 2028. He will review the observations, ensure accurate species identification and analyse the data.
Why This Matters
Through consistent, ethical sightings and observations from Anilao and Lembeh, we gain the rare ability to study similar ecosystems side by side. Both sites are nearly along the same longitude, allowing us to examine environmental factors with minimal geographic bias.
By documenting when and where marine species are seen in the Coral Triangle as a whole, divers help build detailed maps of species distribution and establish baseline data on biodiversity and abundance. Over time, these records allow scientists to detect ecological changes linked to factors like climate shifts, seasonal patterns and human activity. Citizen-submitted sightings can also lead to the discovery of rare or even previously undocumented species. With researchers unable to be everywhere at once, this collaborative approach greatly expands the reach of marine science and supports more informed conservation efforts across one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.
Why Now
Ocean conditions are changing fast. Climate shifts, warming waters and growing tourism mean that marine ecosystems are being reshaped—often invisibly. This is the moment to create a reliable reference point—a snapshot in time that future generations (and researchers) can look back on to track what’s changed, and why.
Why We Need You
Your dive has a deeper purpose – it becomes data, evidence, and a piece of a global puzzle that helps us understand and protect the very creatures you love.
Every time you enter the water, you’re not just exploring, you’re contributing. Your sightings have value. Your images become evidence. Your time beneath the surface becomes part of a bigger picture—one that helps us all understand, protect and track the rhythms of the reef.
By submitting your sightings that include simple details like depth, temperature, location, time and moon phase—you become a vital contributor to this three-year scientific archive. It’s about building something together that lasts far beyond a single season.
From Photography to Conservation
The projects also tie into Solitude World’s upcoming REAL FOCUS Underwater Photography Shootout in 2026, hosted in partnership with the #makrogehtimmer Facebook group.
Participants are encouraged to not only capture artistic images, but to document and identify species via iNaturalist—giving their photographs dual purpose as creative and scientific contributions.
REAL FOCUS
Underwater Photography Shootout 2026
15 February to 30 April 2026
Locations: Solitude Acacia Resort (Anilao) & Solitude Lembeh Resort (Lembeh Strait)
A Movement for the Future
These projects reflect a broader trend in the dive industry: the rise of citizen science tourism, where travellers not only pay to consume the experience, they also want to contribute to conservation.
Dive In, Log On, Make a Difference
Whether you are spotting rare nudibranchs in Anilao or admiring the colourful reef life in Indonesia, your next dive could help shape marine science in the Coral Triangle. Your dive stories can do more than inspire. They can inform, protect and preserve. All it takes is a photo and a few clicks on the iNaturalist app or website.