What is Pocket Wild?
A pocket-sized field journal for real species. You log what you find outside; the app names each creature, captures the moment, and adds it to your collection. There are 228 American species in the Registry and an unlimited Field Log for everything else.
Does Pocket Wild cost money?
Yes — it's a one-time purchase. No subscription. No ads. Yours forever.
How does the app identify species?
Pocket Wild uses iNaturalist's identification engine. You photograph what you find; the app suggests what it likely is.
Why do my sightings have names?
Every creature deserves a name. Pocket Wild gives one automatically from a curated list (Clover, Wee Biscuit, Down, and others). You can rename any sighting yourself by tapping the entry and editing the name.
What's the difference between the Registry and the Field Log?
The Registry holds 228 essential American species across eight categories — birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, plants, trees, fungi. The Field Log holds everything else iNaturalist can identify, no matter where you are.
What are traits?
Each sighting rolls a few personality traits (Curious, Bold, Fierce, and others). Doubles upgrade to "Super." Triples upgrade to "Extremely." Trait combinations affect rarity, so no two sightings are the same.
Who's Aldo?
Aldo is a frog who lives in the app. He notices what's around and points things out — what's in season, what's nesting, what to look for today. He's named after the American naturalist Aldo Leopold.
Does Pocket Wild track me?
Pocket Wild stores your sightings on your device. We don't sell or share your data. Location data is used only to enrich your journal entries and is never shared.