The Map View is the core of the EarthRanger interface. It's where real-time activity, patrols, events, and observations are visually displayed over your area of interest.

EarthRanger allows you to customize the information shown on the map, from animal locations and GPS devices to alert zones, boundaries, and analyzers. This article introduces the types of Map Features you may see and how they work together to provide situational awareness.

Types of Map Features

EarthRanger supports different feature types that appear as visual elements in the map interface:

Icons – These represent tracked subjects (like animals, vehicles, personnel), mobile devices, and reported events (e.g., fires, carcasses, arrests). Clicking on an icon shows detailed information and interactions like tracks or event data.

For details, see: Icons in the Map View

Feature Layers – These are geographic overlays such as roads, rivers, park boundaries, or custom regions. These features are usually imported as shapefiles or geoJSON and are used for reference, geofencing, or analyzers.

Analyzers – These are logic-driven map features that monitor subject behavior or zone crossing. For example, Geofence or Immobility Analyzers use line and polygon geometries to trigger alerts based on spatial activity.

Tracked Subjects – These are active subjects (e.g. animals, patrol units, vehicles) whose movement is recorded and visualized through real-time icons, track lines, or heatmaps.

Map Tools – Found in the bottom-right of the screen, these tools allow you to interact with the map: switch base layers, add pins, measure distance, capture screenshots, or zoom in/out.

Covered in: Map Tools 

Display Control and Customization

You can toggle visibility of various Map Features using the Map Layer Sidebar, accessible from the left-hand panel. Use this area to:

Show/hide feature groups or subject types

Filter by time ranges or categories

Adjust basemaps for contextual clarity

🔍 Tip: The types of Map Features available depend on how your EarthRanger site has been configured. If a particular layer or feature is missing, contact your administrator.

Up Next:  Identify and Interact with Icons in the EarthRanger Web Map View