# Whale and Dolphin Tracker > Log and identify whale and dolphin sightings for global marine research. (iPhone/iPad app by Pacific Whale Foundation.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-and-dolphin-tracker/id1336754335 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Pacific Whale Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1336754334) - Category: Education, Navigation - Price: Free - Rating: 2.50/5 from 22 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 14.0 · 22 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2018-01-23 - Data updated: 2026-06-01 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-and-dolphin-tracker/id1336754335/reviews.md ## What is Whale and Dolphin Tracker? Log sightings and identify species of commonly sighted whales and dolphins from any location around the world. Whale and Dolphin Tracker provides a platform where both professional scientists and members of the public can participate in research and conservation by contributing their marine wildlife sightings. By submitting your sightings you will add to a global database that will help researchers determine patterns of species distribution and how these species interact with their environment. Features: -Log sightings in real-time during your trip. -Use the built-in GPS logger to create a full GPS track of your trip. -Upload photos from your mobile device to submit with your sighting. -Maintain full access to your submitted data through your Whale and Dolphin Tracker account. -View global sightings submitted by all users on a live sightings map updated in real time. Contribute to research: -Crowdsourcing allows for a larger scope of data collection than what is possible for dedicated researchers to achieve. -Greater coverage in both time and space increases the likelihood of documenting rare and/or understudied marine wildlife. -Citizen science creates ocean stewards and leads to a greater awareness of marine wildlife. How to submit a sighting: - Use the app to record GPS location of any sightings of whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife. - Help researchers account for survey effort by associating a track with each sighting. Simply start the GPS track when you depart land and stop the track upon your return. Complete GPS tracks enable calculations of sightings per distance and are valuable for research on distribution of marine animals. - Upload photos associated with your sightings directly from your mobile device. Photos will be used by researchers to confirm species identification and will be added to photo-identification databases, where applicable. ## Key features - Log sightings in real-time - Built-in GPS logger - Upload photos with sightings - Access submitted data - View global sightings map - Contribute to citizen science ## Recent user reviews (10 of 18) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-and-dolphin-tracker/id1336754335/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Where what how? *2026-02-24* I can’t figure anything out on this map. I know there have been multiple whale sightings off Dana Point but this map shows nothing. It could be so much better I’m sure. How the heck do I use this. ### 3/5 — Is this App still supported? *2026-01-08* Lots of bad reviews. Not sure if this was an Interns project years ago and has been left for dead since then. Developer reply? ### 1/5 — Not working in 2025 *2025-02-23* Not showing any Maui results in the Q1 2025 whale season. When deleting app and reloading: Won’t accept any user name no matter how many variations tried. ### 1/5 — Needs work *2023-11-12* Too hard to put in a sighting or look at sightings near by. For some reason even if you allow the app to track your location while using it, it still says it does not have access to your location. Giving it access all the time is ridiculous. Next allow the user to drop a pin where sighting is. I was on shore and say dolphins swim by but now it looks like they were on shore. Next why do I have to select from a group of only your boats? Allow others like on shore, type in a name, unknown. Hopefully it gets help otherwise do not bother. ### 1/5 — Can’t see whale sightings in Maui *2023-11-01* Since I travel to Maui multiple times a year, I like to track where they are seeing whales before I come. I downloaded this to see where whales have been sighted in Maui. Used to be able to see it on their website, can’t do that any more, so downloaded this app. It defaults to my land based home location (no whales ever here) and there’s no way to set the geo locator to Maui, so no way to see the whales being spotted there. Total fail on this app. ### 1/5 — You have to enter email and allow access to location - does not work *2023-06-16, version 1.30* It’s shonky ### 3/5 — How do I go I browse whale sightings international? *2023-01-29* How do I go I browse whale sightings international? ### 1/5 — Too hard to use in the moment *2023-01-20* We were surrounded by whales on our boat recently, and I tried to put an entry into the app, but there’s too much information that is “required”, it became time consuming, and I decided to not worry about it, because I was missing the whales! It would be nice if there was a “short” form version of the app, for users without all of the technical information, and then an option to include more information, if you choose. I wanted to love this app, especially as a new boat owner, but it’s not as helpful as I’d hoped, and too much to do to use it in the moment. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work Can’t create account *2021-12-10* Doesn’t work Can’t create account **Developer response:** We are sorry that you had a poor experience with our app. We have updated the app to improve the user registration and sign-up process, so we encourage you to try again. ### 1/5 — Captcha text does not match! *2021-09-26, version 1.24* Seems account creation is required. Very annoying “Captcha text does not match” error reported after entering account creation details. I tried entering every possible variation of what the captcha text image could have been. If the image is that hard to decipher there is a problem. ## Frequently asked questions about Whale and Dolphin Tracker ### How does Whale and Dolphin Tracker help with research? Whale and Dolphin Tracker contributes to research by crowdsourcing data. This allows for a larger scope of data collection than dedicated researchers can achieve, increasing the likelihood of documenting rare species and understanding their distribution patterns. ### Can I use Whale and Dolphin Tracker offline? The app allows you to log sightings in real-time and use the GPS logger. While viewing the live sightings map may require an internet connection, logging your data can be done offline and uploaded later. ### What kind of photos can I upload to Whale and Dolphin Tracker? You can upload photos from your mobile device directly with your sighting. Researchers use these photos to confirm species identification and may add them to photo-identification databases. ### How often is Whale and Dolphin Tracker updated? The latest version of Whale and Dolphin Tracker is 1.36, and it was last updated on November 22, 2025. This indicates a relatively active development cycle for the app. ### Is Whale and Dolphin Tracker suitable for children? Yes, Whale and Dolphin Tracker has an age rating of 4+, making it appropriate for younger users interested in learning about marine life. ### What devices are supported by Whale and Dolphin Tracker? Whale and Dolphin Tracker is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, offering broad compatibility for Apple users. ### What is the user sentiment for Whale and Dolphin Tracker? Whale and Dolphin Tracker has an average rating of 2.5 stars from 22 ratings. This suggests that while some users find value in the app, there may be areas for improvement based on user feedback. ### Does Whale and Dolphin Tracker cost money to use? No, Whale and Dolphin Tracker is completely free to download and use. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements mentioned. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.36 — 2025-11-22 Enable updated location logic for map and sightings collection. ### 1.33 — 2025-10-26 Update location gathering function to use GPS only, so that whale sighting locations don't appear at cell tower locations. ### 1.32 — 2025-10-12 App rewrite and reorganization, HappyWhale integration for AI whale fluke matches, improved sighting and track management. ### 1.30 — 2022-06-19 More GPX track upload fixes. ### 1.29 — 2022-03-26 Offline storage and upload fixes. ## Apps similar to Whale and Dolphin Tracker | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [In-Water Sea Turtle Sighting](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/in-water-sea-turtle-sighting/id6468080630) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [Jellywatch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jellywatch/id545501733) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [OCEARCH Shark Tracker™](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocearch-shark-tracker/id570772231) | 4.8 (8,769) | Free | Education | | [STC Turtle Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stc-turtle-tracker/id1591029453) | 4.7 (40) | Free | Education | | [Sharktivity by AWSC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sharktivity-by-awsc/id1097933510) | 4.8 (8,230) | Free | Education | | [Animal Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/animal-tracker/id813629500) | 3.5 (27) | Free | Education | ## Related topics [whale and dolphin tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/whale-and-dolphin-tracker) · [dolphin tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/dolphin-tracker) · [swan and dolphin](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/swan-and-dolphin) · [whale tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/whale-tracker) · [sea turtle tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sea-turtle-tracker) · [stc turtle tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/stc-turtle-tracker) · [whale watching](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/whale-watching) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*