This Cookie Policy explains how Faunal.org may use cookies, similar technologies, local storage, pixels, tags, analytics tools, advertising technologies, and third-party services when you visit the site. It is intended to help readers understand what cookies are, why they may be used, and how cookie choices can affect the browsing experience.
Faunal.org uses cookies and similar technologies to support basic website functions, improve site performance, understand general usage patterns, protect the site, and, where applicable, support advertising or affiliate-related features.
What Cookies Are
Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your device when you visit a website. They can help a site remember basic information, maintain security, measure page performance, understand visitor behavior in an aggregated way, or support services provided by third parties.
Similar technologies may include local storage, session storage, tracking pixels, scripts, tags, device identifiers, advertising identifiers, and analytics tools. In this policy, the word “cookies” may refer to cookies and similar technologies unless the context requires a narrower meaning.
How Faunal.org May Use Cookies
Faunal.org may use cookies to operate the website, improve readability, understand how visitors use wildlife and biodiversity content, detect technical problems, protect against abuse, support advertising, measure content performance, and improve the structure of pages that include tables, charts, data notes, species information, and other educational material.
| Cookie Category | Possible Purpose | Important Note |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Cookies | Support core site functions, security, page loading, consent preferences, session behavior, and basic WordPress functionality. | Some essential cookies may be required for the site to work properly. |
| Performance Cookies | Help understand whether pages load correctly, whether errors occur, and how site performance can be improved. | These may collect technical information such as browser type, device type, and page performance signals. |
| Analytics Cookies | Help measure page visits, traffic patterns, popular content, general geographic patterns, referral sources, and user interaction in aggregated form. | Analytics tools should not be treated as exact measurements of individual interest or scientific use of the site. |
| Preference Cookies | May remember user choices such as cookie consent preferences, display settings, or interface-related options. | Disabling these cookies may reset some preferences. |
| Advertising Cookies | May support ad delivery, ad measurement, frequency control, fraud prevention, and interest-based advertising where advertising services are used. | Advertising cookies may be set by third-party advertising partners, not only by Faunal.org. |
| Affiliate or Attribution Cookies | May help identify whether a visitor clicked an affiliate link or interacted with a partner link, where such links are used. | Affiliate cookies are usually controlled by the relevant third-party network or merchant. |
| Embedded Content Cookies | May be set when pages include third-party content, scripts, maps, charts, media, fonts, or external tools. | Third-party services may apply their own cookie and privacy policies. |
Essential Cookies
Essential cookies may be used to make the website function correctly. These may support security, spam protection, consent settings, page loading, navigation, caching, login protection for administrators, and other technical functions that keep the site available and usable.
If essential cookies are blocked, some parts of the site may not work correctly. Pages may load incorrectly, consent choices may not be remembered, security features may not function as expected, or interactive elements may behave unpredictably.
Essential Function Notice
Some cookies are used for technical operation rather than advertising or analytics. Blocking all cookies may affect the stability, security, or usability of the site.
Analytics and Performance Cookies
Faunal.org may use analytics or performance tools to understand how visitors interact with the site. These tools may help identify which wildlife, fauna, biodiversity, species checklist, habitat, conservation, or data interpretation pages are visited, how users move through the site, and where technical issues may occur.
Analytics information is generally used to improve the website, organize content, evaluate page performance, and understand broad usage trends. Analytics tools may collect information such as visited pages, time on page, browser type, device type, referring pages, approximate location, interactions, and technical diagnostics.
Advertising Cookies
Faunal.org may display advertising or use advertising services. Advertising partners may use cookies, pixels, tags, or similar technologies to deliver ads, measure ad performance, limit repeated ads, detect invalid activity, prevent fraud, and personalize advertising where permitted.
Advertising cookies may be set by third-party services. These third parties may collect information about your visits to Faunal.org and other websites. Their use of cookies and related technologies is governed by their own privacy and cookie policies, not only by this Cookie Policy.
Third-Party Advertising Notice
Faunal.org does not control every cookie, tag, or tracking technology used by third-party advertising providers. You should review the privacy and cookie settings offered by your browser, device, consent tool, and relevant advertising partners.
Affiliate and Partner Cookies
Faunal.org may include affiliate links or partner links where relevant. If you click an affiliate link, a third-party network, merchant, or partner may set a cookie or similar identifier to track that click, attribute a purchase, measure performance, or manage referral credit.
Affiliate cookies are generally controlled by the relevant affiliate network or merchant. Faunal.org cannot guarantee the duration, behavior, or technical operation of cookies set by third-party affiliate providers.
Embedded Content and Third-Party Services
Some pages may include or rely on third-party services such as analytics tools, advertising networks, security tools, embedded media, map-related tools, fonts, scripts, chart libraries, content delivery networks, or other technical services. These services may set cookies or use similar technologies.
Third-party services may collect information according to their own policies. Faunal.org does not control all third-party data practices, cookie lifetimes, tracking methods, or privacy settings. If you interact with third-party content, the relevant third party may receive information about that interaction.
Cookie Duration
Cookies may last for different periods. Some cookies are session cookies, which may expire when you close your browser. Others are persistent cookies, which may remain on your device for a defined period unless you delete them or change your browser settings.
| Cookie Duration Type | What It Means | Example Use |
|---|---|---|
| Session Cookies | Temporary cookies that may expire when the browser session ends. | Basic navigation, temporary security checks, or session behavior. |
| Persistent Cookies | Cookies that may remain on your device for a set period. | Remembering preferences, analytics recognition, advertising measurement, or consent settings. |
| First-Party Cookies | Cookies set by the website you are visiting. | Site preferences, technical settings, or security-related functions. |
| Third-Party Cookies | Cookies set by external services used on the website. | Advertising, analytics, embedded content, affiliate tracking, or external tools. |
Your Cookie Choices
You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings, device settings, privacy tools, consent banners, advertising preference tools, or third-party opt-out mechanisms. Most browsers allow users to block cookies, delete existing cookies, limit third-party cookies, or receive alerts when cookies are being used.
If you block or delete cookies, some features of Faunal.org may not function as intended. Consent preferences may be reset, certain interactive features may not work, analytics may be limited, advertising may become less relevant, and some third-party services may behave differently.
Browser Control Note
Cookie controls are usually managed through your browser or device. Because browser settings vary, review the help documentation for your browser or device if you want to block, delete, or restrict cookies.
Do Not Track and Similar Signals
Some browsers or devices may offer “Do Not Track” or similar privacy signals. There is not always a single technical standard followed by every website, browser, advertiser, or analytics provider. Faunal.org may not respond to every browser-based signal in the same way.
Where required or supported by applicable tools, users may have additional choices through cookie consent settings, browser privacy controls, advertising settings, or third-party opt-out systems.
Consent Tools and Preference Management
Faunal.org may use a cookie banner, consent tool, or preference management system where appropriate. If such a tool is available, it may allow you to accept, reject, or manage certain categories of cookies.
Consent tools may themselves use essential cookies or local storage to remember your choices. If you clear cookies or use a different browser or device, you may need to set your preferences again.
Cookies and Biodiversity Content
Cookies do not change the scientific meaning of fauna, species checklists, occurrence records, conservation status, or biodiversity data. However, cookies and analytics tools may help Faunal.org understand which topics readers access, which pages need better structure, whether tables or charts are useful, and where technical improvements may be needed.
Analytics or advertising data should not be interpreted as scientific biodiversity data. Visitor behavior on Faunal.org does not prove species presence, conservation importance, habitat status, distribution, abundance, or ecological risk.
Personal Information and Cookies
Some cookies or similar technologies may be associated with information that can identify or recognize a device, browser, session, or user behavior pattern. The level of identifiability depends on the tool, configuration, provider, and applicable privacy settings.
For more information about how Faunal.org may handle information collected through the site, readers should review the Privacy Policy when available. This Cookie Policy focuses specifically on cookies and similar technologies.
Children’s Use
Faunal.org is intended as a general educational and informational website. The site is not designed to knowingly collect personal information from children through cookies or similar technologies. If a parent or guardian believes that a child has provided personal information through the site, they may contact us at support@faunal.org.
Changes to This Cookie Policy
Faunal.org may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, site features, analytics tools, advertising services, consent tools, legal requirements, or editorial practices. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised date.
Continued use of the site after changes are posted means that the updated Cookie Policy applies to your use of Faunal.org from that point forward.
Contact
For questions about this Cookie Policy, contact Faunal.org by email at support@faunal.org. Please include a clear subject line and enough detail for your question to be reviewed.
Last updated: June 7, 2026