Nature This Week probably isn't the kind of website you'll check every morning. Yet, if you love nature and biodiversity, it's a hidden gem that truly deserves to be known. Its concept is simple, but ingenious. You click on a location on the world map, and the site shows you the animals that might be active in that area. Season, time of day, current weather... several factors are taken into account to give you a vivid glimpse of the local wildlife.
Simple and very practical operation
Upon arrival, the site may ask for access to your geolocation. But between us, granting this permission is frankly unnecessary. Simply clicking on any area of the map gives you the exact same result. This way, you maintain complete control over your privacy, which is very convenient.
The site then cross-references the location, season, time, and weather. We particularly liked the small widget that displays the live temperature: it's certainly not just for show! It immediately gives meaning to the observations, as some animals only come out at night or in very hot weather.
The story of a personal project
Beyond the tool itself, the story behind the site is genuinely captivating. Nature This Week wasn't born from a desire to create yet another commercial online service. It's a pure side project developed by an enthusiast who shared his work on Reddit. After spending a spring in a temperate region, he loved watching nature awaken week by week.
Back in tropical latitudes, he wanted to maintain that direct connection with the rhythm of the seasons. The developer himself humorously acknowledges that his site isn't "useful" in the strictest sense. It won't replace a naturalist guide or help you plan a hike. However, for those who enjoy observe the animals For those curious about biodiversity, the interest is very real. The site simply offers another way to discover living things.
An already extensive catalogue, destined to expand
Even though the interface remains very minimalist, the compilation work is impressive. To display its results, the site combines three public sources. It uses iNaturalist to identify species, Wikipedia for descriptions, and OpenMeteo for the live timeToday, it already lists approximately 9,200 events for 3,500 speciesThis volume demonstrates that the project has far surpassed the stage of simple experimentation.
Another interesting detail: the animal photos aren't automatically selected. They're chosen one by one by the creator to avoid displaying blurry images or pictures of dead animals. A colossal undertaking! And to think the project keeps growing. Its creator is already envisioning expanding the catalog to include mushrooms, berries, plants, and even soundscapes associated with each location.
The strengths and limitations of Nature This Week
Nature This Week is a wonderful discovery for those who enjoy observing nature without any fuss. It's not an essential service, and that's precisely what makes it so appealing. With its simple and original approach, it primarily inspires us to look at the living world with a little more curiosity. But like many independent projects, it also has some limitations that are worth being aware of.
Product Highlights
- Explore the map freely: you don't need to enable geolocation. A few clicks are all it takes to discover natural events associated with an area.
- A useful weather widget: displaying the temperature and current conditions provide a real context for better understanding animal activity.
- A real interest for enthusiasts: the site is aimed primarily at naturalists, animal lovers and curious people who wish to discover wildlife in a different way.
- An evolving project: the possible arrival of plants, mushrooms, berries or soundscapes will further enrich the experience.
Limits
- A website only in English: this can be a barrier for people less comfortable with the language. Fortunately, you can translate the page instantly with your device's built-in function. Sailor (Chrome(Edge or Safari)
- These results remain estimates: the displayed events are based on available observations and general knowledge. They indicate a trend, but do not guarantee that an animal will be present at the exact moment you pass by.
- Limited geographical precision: the carte It works with large areas (~150 km). It is therefore ideal for exploring a region, but not for searching for a species within a few meters.
