Natural North Carolina

North Carolina is a beautiful place! With the huge variation in habitat types - from the mountains to the piedmont to the coastal plain - our state boasts a grand diversity of plants, animals, and fungi. Just look around. You likely encounter hundreds of species in your daily life, and many just beyond your front door!

Scientists at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences document the species in our great state and share the things we learn with you in our Museum exhibits. But, we can’t be everywhere at once! We need YOUR help. By photographing and reporting the wildlife you see in your everyday life to Natural North Carolina, you can help us learn more about the species that call North Carolina home. You will also help us create an atlas of North Carolina’s flora and fauna that you can use to identify the natural things you see in your local area. And all you have to do to help is snap a photo of something in nature and tell us where and when you took it. Easy!

So, get outside! Snap a few photos. Become a citizen scientist by submitting your photos to Natural North Carolina. Together, we can discover the wonders of North Carolina and learn more about our amazing state.