Google Maps invites armchair explorers to experience the Galapagos Islands

As part of its continuing efforts to explore remote or unique locations around the world through Treks, Google Maps has partnered with the Charles Darwin Foundation to let anyone with an internet browser explore Galapagos National Park.

And if that wasn’t cool enough, you can help further scientific research by poring over those images, and report what you see for further investigation by scientists.

Using the Darwin for a Day online app and the footage gathered by Google Maps on their trek through the Galapagos Islands, you can hunt for creatures, then submit your observations with key information like how abundant the creature was in the area, and what kind of habitat it’s in.

If you don’t feel like joining the research team and just want to bask in the sights of sea lions, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies, you can visit the Galapagos Islands trek page here.

[ Related: Instant Wild helps stop poachers, identify new species with your smartphone ]

On the other hand, if this just piques your interest in life as an amateur naturalist, you can join iNaturalist.org (the site powering the Darwin for a Day project) and submit your observations of the natural world from anywhere on the planet.

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