How to Search for a Specific Animal on Animal Diversity Web

To search for a specific animal on Animal Diversity Web (ADW), type your keyword into the search box on the homepage and press enter. For multi-word names, wrap the phrase in quotation marks — for example, "gray wolves" instead of gray wolves — so the site treats it as one phrase rather than separate words. You can also narrow results by selecting a content type (Everything, Information, Pictures, Specimens, Sounds, Maps, or Topics) before or after searching.

Step-by-step search

1. Go to the ADW homepage at animaldiversity.org.
2. Enter your keyword(s) in the search field. Use a common name (wombats), a scientific name, or a quoted phrase ("gray wolves").
3. Choose a result type from the dropdown next to the search box if you want to limit what comes back:
   • Everything – all content types
   • Information – text/encyclopedia entries
   • Pictures – images
   • Specimens – specimen records
   • Sounds – audio recordings
   • Maps – distribution maps
   • Topics – subject-based pages
4. Submit the search and review the results. The site notes that more tips are available in its Search Guide if your first attempt returns too much or too little.

Searching by animal group instead

If you don't have a specific species in mind, the homepage lists major taxonomic groups you can browse directly. Each links to that group's pages:

Common snags

• Too many results: switch the dropdown from Everything to a narrower type such as Information or Pictures.
• No results for a phrase: drop the quotation marks and search the individual words, or try the scientific name.
• Unsure of spelling: search a shorter root word (e.g., wombat rather than wombats) and scan the matches.

For advanced operators and further guidance, consult the Search Guide linked from the ADW search area.