Introduction

Rethinking Biodiversity Inventories in the Digital Age

NAHPU (NAtural History Project Utility), loosely named after the Greater Malay Chevrotain, Tragulus napu, is a field cataloging app designed to handle complex natural history data collections in the lab and in the field. It is a free, open-source project and supports major desktop and mobile operating systems.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Collecting natural history specimens requires strict adherence to ethical and legal standards. You are responsible for ensuring that all collecting activities comply with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections provides guidance on permitting requirements, with emphasis on U.S. laws and regulations. Always consult with local authorities and relevant natural history institutions to ensure compliance with applicable standards.

Quick Start

1. Install NAHPU

   You can start simple by using your phone or computer. The NAHPU user interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to use on any screen.

2. Visit NAHPU Day 1 Guide

   This page provides a comprehensive introduction to get started with NAHPU.

   The same guide is bundled in the app, so you can read it offline in the field. Open the menu drawer and select Cookbook. Day One is the first entry, followed by the how-to recipes.

3. Practice using NAHPU in your lab.

   If you plan to use NAHPU in the field, we recommend practicing in your lab first using a real specimen. This is especially useful if you are used to paper catalogs.

4. Learn best practices

   The Best Practices section covers app setup, project management, backups, and device care. It also links to resources about specimen collection, preservation, and management.

5. Use NAHPU in the field.

   Once comfortable with the app, use it in the field to catalog specimens. You can start with a soft transition by tracking data on paper catalogs first, then inputting into NAHPU later. Check out the device requirements page for information about device options using NAHPU in the field.

Tip

If you are transitioning from paper-based cataloging or using other digital catalogs, consider visiting the Switch to NAHPU page.

Support and Contribute to NAHPU

NAHPU is a free and open source project. We welcome any support and contributions. You can support us by:

• Report bugs and request features
• Contribute to the project

If you would like to be a part of the team, please contact the project maintainer.

Acknowledgments

NAHPU is a collaborative project among museum and computer scientists. Many people have contributed code, feedback, translations, and field testing along the way. The full list of team members, past contributors, and acknowledgments is on the NAHPU team page.

Funding and institutional support for this project are listed on the NAHPU home page.

Disclaimer

This documentation may contain references to or mentions of specific third-party products, services, software, or organizations. Any such mention is provided strictly as a convenience to our users and for informational or illustrative purposes only.

The inclusion of these third-party references does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, sponsorship, or favoring by NAHPU, its development team, or its affiliates. Users are responsible for evaluating and determining the suitability of any third-party tools or products for their own fieldwork and data management needs.