u/ZP172

I am wondering about how biologists create these maps which you can see on e.g. Wikipedia and which show the range of where some species lives.

Initially, I would expect that you would highlight either the geographical micro-region or the political administrative unit where a species is found. However, these maps often don't seem to follow any of these borders.

How are these maps made, then? Do they rely solely on some electronic tracking devices? Or which other methods could you use to so specifically describe an area where some species live?