diff --git a/src/lib/server/db/schema.ts b/src/lib/server/db/schema.ts
index cfb548f..5dcc73a 100755
--- a/src/lib/server/db/schema.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/db/schema.ts
@@ -178,10 +178,6 @@ export const animals = pgTable('animals', {
 	deniedAt: timestamp('denied_at', { withTimezone: true })
 });
 
-// The PostGIS `location geography(Point, 4326)` column is managed outside Drizzle
-// via a trigger in the migration — it auto-syncs from lat/lng on insert/update.
-// Never write to `location` directly from application code.
-
 export const sightings = pgTable('sightings', {
 	id: uuid('id').primaryKey().defaultRandom(),
 	animalId: uuid('animal_id')
@@ -193,7 +189,6 @@ export const sightings = pgTable('sightings', {
 	seenAt: timestamp('seen_at', { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
 	lat: doublePrecision('lat').notNull(),
 	lng: doublePrecision('lng').notNull(),
-	// `location` geography column exists in DB but not mapped in Drizzle — use sql`` for spatial queries
 
 	submittedAt: timestamp('submitted_at', { withTimezone: true }).notNull().defaultNow(),
 	acceptedAt: timestamp('accepted_at', { withTimezone: true }),
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/+page.svelte b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/+page.svelte
index 46151c5..d8f9677 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/+page.svelte
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
 		if (filterFrom) params.set('fromDate', new Date(filterFrom).toISOString());
 		if (filterTo) params.set('toDate', new Date(filterTo).toISOString());
 
-		const res = await fetch(`/api/map?${params}`);
+		const res = await fetch(`/projects/animaldex/api/map?${params}`);
 		if (!res.ok) return;
 		const geojson: { features: GeoJSONFeature[] } = await res.json();
 
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/animals/[id]/sightings/+server.ts b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/animals/[id]/sightings/+server.ts
index 9a0c875..eb9ff6e 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/animals/[id]/sightings/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/animals/[id]/sightings/+server.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,22 @@ import type { RequestHandler } from './$types';
 import { db } from '$lib/server/db';
 import { animals, sightings, photos } from '$lib/server/db/schema';
 import { addSightingSchema } from '$lib/validation/sighting';
-import { eq, sql } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
 import { env } from '$env/dynamic/private';
 
 const MAX_DISTANCE_METERS = 30_000;
+const EARTH_RADIUS_METERS = 6_371_000;
+
+// Haversine distance between two lat/lng points, in meters.
+function distanceMeters(lat1: number, lng1: number, lat2: number, lng2: number): number {
+	const toRad = (deg: number) => (deg * Math.PI) / 180;
+	const dLat = toRad(lat2 - lat1);
+	const dLng = toRad(lng2 - lng1);
+	const a =
+		Math.sin(dLat / 2) ** 2 +
+		Math.cos(toRad(lat1)) * Math.cos(toRad(lat2)) * Math.sin(dLng / 2) ** 2;
+	return 2 * EARTH_RADIUS_METERS * Math.asin(Math.sqrt(a));
+}
 
 export const POST: RequestHandler = async ({ request, params }) => {
 	const body = await request.json().catch(() => null);
@@ -28,14 +40,7 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = async ({ request, params }) => {
 		throw error(404, { message: 'Animal not found' });
 	}
 
-	const [distRow] = await db.execute(sql`
-		SELECT ST_Distance(
-			ST_MakePoint(${data.deviceLng}, ${data.deviceLat})::geography,
-			ST_MakePoint(${data.lng}, ${data.lat})::geography
-		) AS dist
-	`);
-
-	const dist = Number((distRow as Record<string, unknown>).dist);
+	const dist = distanceMeters(data.deviceLat, data.deviceLng, data.lat, data.lng);
 	if (dist > MAX_DISTANCE_METERS) {
 		throw error(422, {
 			message: `Location is ${Math.round(dist / 1000)}km from your device. Maximum is 30km.`
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/map/+server.ts b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/map/+server.ts
index d3d1914..7bee728 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/map/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/projects/animaldex/api/map/+server.ts
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({ url }) => {
 		isNull(animals.deniedAt),
 		isNotNull(sightings.acceptedAt),
 		isNull(sightings.deniedAt),
-		sql`ST_Within(
-			${sightings}.location::geometry,
-			ST_MakeEnvelope(${q.minLng}, ${q.minLat}, ${q.maxLng}, ${q.maxLat}, 4326)
-		)`
+		gte(sightings.lat, q.minLat),
+		lte(sightings.lat, q.maxLat),
+		gte(sightings.lng, q.minLng),
+		lte(sightings.lng, q.maxLng)
 	];
 
 	if (q.species) conditions.push(ilike(animals.species, `%${q.species}%`));