# Gbif (npm · @pipeworx/mcp-gbif)

GBIF MCP — wraps the Global Biodiversity Information Facility API v1 (free, no auth)

- Trust score: 83/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: +3
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-11-05

## Components

- remote · `gateway.pipeworx.io`: 77/100, [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/gbif-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/gbif-mcp)
- npm · `@pipeworx/mcp-gbif`: 83/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `npm`
- Package: `@pipeworx/mcp-gbif`
- Version: `1.1.1`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-11-05.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 100/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - No known CVEs affecting this package version or its production dependencies.
  - No install/post-install scripts declared.
  - No production dependencies, so there is no dependency health to assess.
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 97/100
  - Source repository is publicly reachable at the declared URL.
  - Cryptographically verified build provenance (signed, bound to pipeworx-io/mcp-gbif).
  - Clear OSI-approved license (MIT).
  - Actively maintained (last published 3 days ago).
  - Disclosure check failed: no security disclosure policy was found in the source repository.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 70/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (good).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 661 tokens (~165/item across 4 items; 4 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 23/100
  - Stability observed for 7 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 4 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 5 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.

## Install

### How do I install the Gbif MCP server?

Gbif runs locally as an npm package, launched with npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-gbif. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add pipeworx-io-gbif -- npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-gbif
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-gbif": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "pipeworx-io-gbif": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add pipeworx-io-gbif -- npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-gbif
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "pipeworx-io-gbif": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add pipeworx-io-gbif --command npx --arg -y --arg @pipeworx/mcp-gbif
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  pipeworx-io-gbif:
    command: "npx"
    args: ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"]
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-gbif": {
      "Transport": "stdio",
      "Command": "npx",
      "Arguments": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add pipeworx-io-gbif -t stdio -c npx -a -y @pipeworx/mcp-gbif
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-gbif": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-gbif"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-11-04 (score 83, +1)

No change was recorded against any check on this day. Stability & Change Management went from 17 to 20. That category is still filling its 30-day observation window: 5 days of observed history at the previous scan, 6 at this one. The score rises as the window fills, whether or not the server changes.

### 2026-11-03 (score 82, +15)

- [security improvement] Malware scan: unverified → pass

### 2026-11-02 (score 67, −14)

- [security regression] Malware scan: pass → unverified
- [functional] Package version: 1.1.0 → 1.1.1

### 2026-11-01 (score 81, 0)

- [functional regression] Security disclosure: unverified → fail

### 2026-10-31 (score 81, +1)

- [functional regression] Security disclosure: fail → unverified

### 2026-10-29 (score 80)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (4)

### `search_species` (~85 tokens)

Search for species by common or scientific name. Returns matched taxa with rank, classification status, and taxonomic hierarchy. Use get_species with the taxon key for full details.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (number): Maximum results to return (1-100, default 20)
- `query` (string, required): Species name or keyword (e.g., "Homo sapiens", "oak")

### `get_species` (~53 tokens)

Get complete taxonomic classification for a species (kingdom through subspecies). Requires taxon key from search_species. Returns all ranks and accepted name status.

Input parameters:

- `key` (number, required): GBIF taxon key (integer)

### `get_occurrences` (~195 tokens)

Get georeferenced observation records for a species with coordinates, dates, and sources. Pass either `name` (a scientific name like "Danaus plexippus" — resolved automatically) or a numeric GBIF backbone `key`. Filter by country code (e.g., 'US', 'BR', 'AU') to narrow results geographically.

Input parameters:

- `country` (string): ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code to filter occurrences (e.g., "US", "DE")
- `key` (number): GBIF backbone taxon key (integer), e.g. 5133088. Alternative to `name`.
- `limit` (number): Maximum records to return (1-300, default 20)
- `name` (string): Scientific name, e.g. "Danaus plexippus". Resolved to a GBIF backbone taxon key automatically. Use this unless you already hold a key.

### `occurrences_near` (~275 tokens)

Find species occurrence records NEAR a location (latitude/longitude + radius). PREFER for "what species/wildlife are found near here", "what birds/plants occur around these coordinates", "is <species> recorded near this spot". Optionally filter by a GBIF taxon key (from search_species) to a group or species — e.g. 212 = birds, 6 = plants, 359 = mammals. Returns georeferenced records with species name, date, locality, and source.

Input parameters:

- `latitude` (number, required): Latitude in decimal degrees (e.g., 40.785).
- `limit` (number): Maximum records to return (1-300, default 20).
- `longitude` (number, required): Longitude in decimal degrees (e.g., -73.968).
- `radius_km` (number): Search radius in km (default 10, max 200).
- `taxon_key` (number): Optional GBIF backbone taxon key to restrict to a species or group (e.g., 212 = birds, 6 = plants, 359 = mammals).
- `taxon_name` (string): Optional scientific name to restrict to, e.g. "Danaus plexippus". Resolved to a GBIF backbone taxon key automatically. Alternative to taxon_key.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-11-05: 83
- 2026-11-04: 83
- 2026-11-03: 82
- 2026-11-02: 67
- 2026-11-01: 81
- 2026-10-31: 81
- 2026-10-30: 80
- 2026-10-29: 80

## Common questions

### What is the Gbif MCP server?

Gbif is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.pipeworx-io/gbif. GBIF MCP, wraps the Global Biodiversity Information Facility API v1 (free, no auth). This page covers its npm package (@pipeworx/mcp-gbif).

### Is the Gbif MCP server safe to use?

Gbif scores 83 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. We found no known CVEs affecting it as of 5 November 2026. It declares no install or post-install scripts. Its build provenance is signed and verified. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the Gbif MCP server expose?

Gbif exposes 4 tools: search_species, get_species, get_occurrences, occurrences_near. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 608 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Is the Gbif MCP server still maintained?

Gbif is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 5 November 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What licence is the Gbif MCP server under?

Gbif declares the MIT licence, which is OSI-approved. That covers the source only, and says nothing about the cost of any service it calls.

### What did VerifyMCP test on the Gbif MCP server?

VerifyMCP ran 16 checks on Gbif, covering Malware scan, Known CVEs, Install scripts, Dependency health and 12 more. Endpoint Security and Transport & Reachability do not apply to an npm package, so they were not tested. The score does not measure everything, and the scoring documentation lists what it leaves out.

## Links

- npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@pipeworx/mcp-gbif
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/npm/package/@pipeworx/mcp-gbif
- Repository: https://github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-gbif
- Website: https://pipeworx.io/packs/gbif
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif/changelog.json
- Trust report (JSON): https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-gbif/pipeworx-mcp-gbif