Pokémon Go: How To Track New Pokémon

The Pokémon Go official tracking system measures the distance between the player and the Pokémon they are tracking, and shows the result in the form of three footprints. But, it does not show detailed nest migration and every time a nest migrates, all the data need to be collected from scratch. The game’s “Nearby” system of tying Pokémon to a specific Pokémon does not work well in rural areas.

A better way for Pokémon Go players to find different Pokémon on a regular basis is to find a Pokémon nest. “Nests” in Pokémon Go are locations where the same species of Pokémon are found in plenty. There are three kinds of nests — cluster nests track the area where many Pokémon of the same species appear simultaneously, while frequent spawn areas and frequent spawn point nests track individual Pokémon spawns taking place in an area or schedule.

While the official tools from Niantic lack precision, players can use the Global Nest Atlas to track Pokémon. Its software will aggregate data from the Pokémon Go community, collate information and provide it to players to help them chart through the local Pokémon nests. It works as a Pokémon hunting tool to help players plan Pokémon safaris and know in advance how many Pokémon are expected to spawn at a specific area.

In terms of data contribution, the Global Nest Atlas only lets Silph Road community members participate in data collection. To contribute, you need to join the community. Once you are signed in, you can select the Pokémon species and nest that you want to report on.

Niantic shuts down third-party tracking systems, but this is one of the currently available alternatives to the game's own tracking system.