Tokyo's Citizen-Driven Wildlife Survey Event Kicks Off in Fall 2025

Today marks the start of the citizen-participatory event, Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team Fall 2025, utilizing the Biome collection app. This innovative project allows citizens to become investigators and collaboratively create a digital wildlife catalog called the Tokyo Ikimono Daichou. Participants simply take and upload photos of wildlife through the app, enabling individuals to contribute to biodiversity studies in Tokyo.

Initiated in 2023, the Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team is a collaboration between Biome Co., Ltd. and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, aimed at preserving biodiversity within the city. The initiative is designed to make participation accessible to everyone with a smartphone, resulting in an impressive collection of around 120,000 entries in 2023 and 140,000 in 2024.

The Fall edition is one of the major events in this ongoing project. Throughout the survey period, participants can engage in wildlife exploration through various quests, fostering a game-like atmosphere that encourages discovery. There are also two on-site events planned, providing hands-on experience with the fascinating wildlife that inhabits Tokyo.

Overview of the Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team Fall 2025

- Survey Period: October 15, 2025 (Wednesday) at 12:00 PM - December 15, 2025 (Monday) at 11:59 PM.
- Eligibility: Open to anyone.
- Quests: A total of 17 quests available, designed for beginners to advanced participants.
- Rewards: Prizes will be awarded through a lottery for participants who meet specified conditions.
- How to Participate: Join via the app Biome.

Download the app here: App Store, Google Play.

Three Key Features of the Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team

1. Challenge Yourself in Wildlife Discovery
The event features a variety of quests catering to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced participants. Each quest involves missions within certain areas where participants collect data on specific wildlife. Completing these missions aims to fulfill quest objectives and contribute to the larger biodiversity project.

2. Learn About Wildlife Through Guides
Each quest is complemented by a guide page containing hints for finding target wildlife species. This informative page enhances the learning experience, allowing participants to discover more about Tokyo’s ecosystem while participating in wildlife surveys.

3. Experience Wildlife at On-Site Events
Throughout the survey period, there will be two on-site events focused on the nature of the Tama Hills and the Sayama Hills. These events invite participants to use the Biome app for research and nature observation, offering a unique opportunity to interact directly with Tokyo’s diverse wildlife.
- Tama Hills Event: November 3, 2025 (Public Holiday) from 9:30 AM to around 2 PM. Location: Green spaces around Matsugaya in Tama New Town.
- Sayama Hills Event: November 24, 2025 (Public Holiday) from 9:30 AM to around 12 PM. Location: The broadleaf forest on the Tokyo side of Sayama Hills.
More details on how to apply for these events will be regularly updated on the official website: Tokyo Ikimono Events.

About the Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team and the Tokyo Ikimono Daichou

The Tokyo Ikimono Survey Team is dedicated to engaging the public in wildlife surveys to achieve a comprehensive digital wildlife inventory called the Tokyo Ikimono Daichou. By leveraging citizen data collected through the Biome app, and combining it with professional research and existing literature, the project aims to create a user-friendly digital map showcasing the diverse species inhabiting Tokyo. Users can easily search and learn about local ecosystems using the online platform.

About the Biome Collection App

The Biome app is a free smartphone application developed to track the distribution of wildlife and contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts. Covering nearly all species in Japan (approximately 100,000), the app uses a unique AI feature to identify species from users’ photos. Besides gamifying the wildlife collection, the app integrates an encyclopedia, maps, social features, and quests, making wildlife exploration fun and engaging.

As of October 2025, the app has surpassed 1.2 million downloads, with users contributing over 10 million entries. This accumulated data is vital for biodiversity conservation efforts.

- Official Biome App Site

About Biome Co., Ltd.

Founded in May 2017, Biome Co., Ltd. is a venture company seeded from Kyoto University, driven by the mission of making biodiversity conservation a societal norm. The company is committed to transforming environmental conservation into a viable business, primarily through the development and operation of the Biome collection app. Utilizing unique big data and visualization technologies related to biodiversity, Biome connects science and society while building platforms designed for biodiversity preservation. Furthermore, they offer comprehensive biodiversity survey support tools such as BiomeSurvey and visualization services like BiomeViewer to meet the needs of corporations and local governments.