What is TerraQuest?

TerraQuest is a platform inspired by two other famous platforms, iNaturalist and eBird. It has been built to foster love for wildlife, birdwatching and wildlife photography. I have always wanted to give back to nature and its community by using my skills to build something meaningful.

TerraQuest brings together my passion for both technology and the natural world. It allows users to log their sightings of birds, mammals, insects, fungi, and plants, complete with images, videos, and location data. But more than that, it creates a community of explorers and enthusiasts who share the same curiosity and love for nature as me.

One of the core features is real-time trail tracking, helping users map their routes while spotting wildlife. With geospatial queries, people can find nearby sightings and hotspots, making it easier to plan their next outdoor adventure. The platform also introduces gamification elements like leaderboards to encourage consistent engagement and exploration.

A lot of care has gone into designing the UI to be clean, responsive, and accessible. Behind the scenes, the stack includes React, Node.js, Express, and Mongodb, with Cloudinary handling media uploads and Google Maps powering geolocation and mapping features.

As I continue development, I’ll be sharing my progress, technical challenges, design choices, and future plans through this article series. The goal isn’t just to build another app, it’s to build a movement that brings people closer to nature while contributing valuable data to conservation efforts.