Launching 2026

Mapping life, interaction by interaction.

The first collaborative database dedicated to plant-animal relationships, built by and for biodiversity experts.

The challenge

Critical knowledge scattered and informal

Today, plant-animal interaction data is scattered across spreadsheets, personal notes, and keepers' memory.

Siloed knowledge

Each institution accumulates its own data without sharing. Valuable observations remain inaccessible to others.

Animal safety risks

Without a reliable database, keepers lack information about plant toxicity for their animals.

No cross-validation

A single observation is not science. There's no mechanism to confirm interactions across institutions.

Why MANDRAGORA

Built for collaboration, designed for trust

Replace scattered spreadsheets and informal knowledge with a structured, validated database.

Instant identification

Upload a photo and identify plants instantly with Pl@ntNet integration.

Institutional collaboration

Share your observations and knowledge with other institutions

Trust system

Validate data through a voting system weighted by reputation

Advanced search

Quickly find relevant plant-animal interactions

Transparent provenance

Complete history of each interaction. Know who contributed, who validated.

Multilingual support

Interface available in multiple languages. Search by name in any supported language.

Simple workflow

From observation to validated knowledge

Contributing takes seconds. Consensus builds naturally.

1

Identify the plant

Upload a photo for instant identification, or search by Latin or common name.

2

Document the interaction

Select the animal taxon, interaction type (food, toxic, enrichment), and plant part.

3

Community validates

Other institutions see your contribution and upvote if they've observed the same.

4

Knowledge grows

Every validated interaction becomes part of a trusted, shared knowledge base.

Trust through transparency

Unlike anonymous databases, MANDRAGORA shows you exactly who contributed each piece of knowledge.

Institution attribution
Every interaction shows which zoo contributed it
▲
Weighted validation
Upvotes from trusted institutions carry more weight
Consensus indicators
See at a glance when multiple institutions agree
Institution A
Every interaction shows which zoo contributed it
↓
Institution B
Upvotes from trusted institutions carry more weight
↓
Consensus indicators
See at a glance when multiple institutions agree
✓
Call for pioneers

Become a founding member

We're looking for visionary institutions to co-build MANDRAGORA from its inception.

Shape the tool

Participate in functional choices and directly influence development priorities.

Priority access

Benefit from personalized onboarding and early access to new features.

Lasting recognition

Your institution will be recognized as a founding member of the MANDRAGORA consortium.

Free for founders

Access is completely free for institutions that join the consortium during the launch phase.

Founding partnership

A project born from collaboration

MANDRAGORA is the result of a partnership between Mulhouse Zoo and Akongo, combining field expertise and technological innovation.

Mulhouse Zoo

Over 170 years of expertise in wildlife conservation and knowledge of animal-plant interactions.

Akongo

Developer of innovative digital solutions for animal management and welfare in zoological parks.

Together, we are building the future of knowledge management in zoological parks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

Answers to the most common questions about MANDRAGORA.

What is MANDRAGORA?
MANDRAGORA is a collaborative platform enabling zoological institutions (zoos, botanical gardens, research centers) to document, share and validate plant-animal interactions. It covers toxicity, nutrition and animal enrichment.
Who can use MANDRAGORA?
MANDRAGORA is designed for zoological institutions, botanical gardens, research centers and universities. Registration is open to everyone for read-only access. To contribute, you must be a member of an institution validated by the consortium.
How does the trust system work?
Each documented interaction is attributed to the institution that observed it. Other institutions can vote to confirm or deny the observation. Votes are weighted by the institution's reputation. Consensus is reached when multiple institutions agree.
Is MANDRAGORA free?
Yes, access is completely free for institutions that join the consortium during the 2026 launch phase. Founding members benefit from priority access and personalized onboarding.
How do I identify a plant on MANDRAGORA?
MANDRAGORA integrates the Pl@ntNet service for automatic photo identification. You can also search for a plant by its Latin or common name. Identification is instant and makes documenting interactions easy.

Be among the pioneers

Join Mulhouse Zoo and the first institutions building the global reference on plant-animal interactions together.