Why every snake ID gets an expert check

There are more than 3,500 snake species in the world. Many look alike, some vary wildly in colour from one region to the next, and a photo taken in a hurry from a safe distance is rarely perfect.

That's a hard problem for any automatic system — and it's a problem where being wrong really matters.

Technology first, people always

When you send a photo to Snakology, our system makes a fast first identification. Then a person checks it.

Our ID team is made up of authors, biologists, toxicologists, herpetologists, students, field herpers and snake hobbyists. They confirm every submission and send back the snake's identity, its diet, its habitat and a short description. If you have a follow-up question, they answer that too.

Better photos, faster answers

• Keep your distance. Never approach or handle a snake to get a better picture. Zoom instead.
• Show the head and the pattern if you can — they are the most useful features for identification.
• Add where you are. Location narrows down the possibilities enormously.

Learn while you look

Beyond identification, Snakology includes free educational sections about snakes, with more content for subscribers based on where they live.

Snakology is available on the App Store. See Snakology.