GeoSlug is a web app designed for the UC Santa Cruz community to discover, share, and map animal sightings in and around campus. Whether it’s a deer on a trail or a raccoon near the dorms, users can upload photos, leave notes, and pin their encounters on an interactive map. It’s part wildlife tracker, part community board — built for nature lovers at UCSC.
- Upload Animal Sightings: Share photos and details of animals you’ve spotted.
- Interactive Map: See sightings from other users and explore local wildlife activity.
- Clean, Friendly UI: Designed to be easy to use and enjoyable to navigate.
- Frontend: SvelteKit for a lightweight and reactive interface
- Backend: Firebase for data storage, auth, and hosting
- Maps: Mapbox for dynamic geolocation and pinning
- Languages & Tools: JavaScript, TypeScript, SCSS, HTML, and EJS
- Built the full stack from the ground up
- Prioritized UI/UX to make the platform intuitive and accessible
- Gained hands-on experience working with geolocation APIs, cloud databases, and mapping frameworks
- More UI polish and new user features
- Backend improvements for performance and scalability
- Experimental features: migration tracking, AI-powered animal recognition, and improved geolocation accuracy
Curious to contribute or want to see how it works? Check out the code on GitHub.
GeoSlug is open-sourced under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
Developed by Lemon Foxmere and Brightonca — inspired by the vibrant wildlife and unique ecosystem surrounding UC Santa Cruz.