Beat Darwin
Rate itIdentify the day's mystery animal species from a photo in four attempts.
on beatdarwin.com
Beat Darwin shows a photo of one wild animal a day and a list of similar species to choose from, such as nine kinds of bat. You have four attempts to pick the right one. Photos come from iNaturalist, and each species has a page with its conservation status and taxonomy.
About Beat Darwin
Beat Darwin is a daily species quiz. Each numbered puzzle shows a real photograph of a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian, and you pick its exact species from a shortlist of close relatives. That is where it gets hard: telling a Jamaican fruit-eating bat from a great fruit-eating bat takes more than knowing it is a bat.
You have four attempts, and each wrong guess reveals a hint such as the animal's habitat, range or how often it has been recorded, and the aim is to beat Charles Darwin, the game's mascot. After you finish you get a fact about the animal and a link to its full species page, with its IUCN conservation status and taxonomy. Photos come from the iNaturalist biodiversity database.
The animal is the same for everyone and changes daily, with a countdown to the next one, a list of the day's top scores, streaks and a challenge link to send to a friend. An archive page lists every past animal of the day, each linking to its species page.
It suits nature lovers and anyone who wants to learn a little zoology each day.
How to play Beat Darwin
- Open Beat Darwin and look at the day's photo.
- Read the list of nine candidate species, all close relatives.
- Tap the one you think it is; you have four attempts.
- After a wrong guess, read the hint that appears, such as how rarely the animal is recorded or where it lives, and guess again.
- Read the fact about the animal, open its species page if you like, then share your result or send a challenge link to a friend.
Screenshots
Tips
- Look at diagnostic features such as ears, nose leaves and markings, not overall shape.
- Eliminate species whose range or habitat does not fit the photo's setting.
Questions
How many attempts do I get?
Four. Each wrong guess crosses out that choice and gives you a hint.
Where do the photos come from?
From iNaturalist, a global biodiversity database.
When does the animal change?
The game says a new mystery animal is revealed every day at midnight UTC.
Do I need an account?
No. The daily plays in the browser with no sign-up, and the game has no ads.
Ratings and reviews
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