Sources & methodology

Every claim keeps
its way home.

Taxonomy, occurrence, traits, conservation, and photographs come from different systems. The atlas keeps those systems identifiable and linked.

Read the project method

Core references

The atlas is a synthesis,
not a new authority.

Always use the linked primary or official source for legal, regulatory, scientific, or publication decisions.

Media policy

Generated when disclosed.
Open when verified.

The site keeps two image layers distinct. AI reconstructions are visibly labeled and treated as interpretation, never documentary evidence. Most are grounded in an open-license visual reference as well as documented taxonomy, habitat, and natural history; historical or prehistoric taxa without a reliable visual reference are reconstructed from cited evidence. The 283 verified photographs retain their creator, license, and source page; candidate images without verified file-level rights remain research links.

Browse verified source photos