Pokémon GO Secrets of the Jungle Event - Start Date, Special Research, Shiny Pikachu and More

In the first ever crossover between Netflix and Pokémon GO (by our reckoning), the Pokémon GO Secrets of the Jungle event is launching to celebrate the worldwide release of the movie of the same name.

In addition to allowing players to catch Zarude in Pokémon GO for the first time via Special Research, the event jungle theme sees the return of Jessie and James and brings a bunch of shinies to the fore - including one brand new offering.

As with all Pokémon GO events, there will also be new raid bosses, field research, and themed wild spawns. Here's everything you need to know about the Secrets of the Jungle event:

When Is the Pokémon GO Secrets of the Jungle Event Start Date?

The Pokémon GO Secrets of the Jungle event start date is October 1, and it lasts a week. It ends on October 8, when the movie releases on Netflix.

Secrets of the Jungle Event Spawns

We don't quite understand how all of these Pokémon fit into the jungle theme, so perhaps some of them feature in the movie itself. Anyway, here are the Pokémon spawning during the Secrets of the Jungle event:

• Combee
• Cottonee
• Drilbur
• Dwebble*
• Hoothoot
• Larvitar*
• Pikachu (Explorer Costume)*

The biggest event spawn is Pikachu, as the Explorer Pikachu has never been shiny before. You'll have to stock up on Lures and Incense to get your hands on the incredibly rare shiny, though, as we don't know whether there will be boosted shiny rates yet.

Secrets of the Jungle Event Raid Bosses

Here are the raid bosses for the Secrets of the Jungle event:

1-Star Raids

• Explorer Pikachu*
• Foongus
• Larvitar*
• Roggenrola
• Rufflet

3-Star Raids

• Chansey*
• Flygon
• Lickitung*
• Ludicolo
• Pinsir*

Secrets of the Jungle Event Field Research

• Catch ten different species of Pokémon.
  • Rewards: Rufflet*
• Make 5 Curveball Throws.
  • Rewards: Diglett* or Pidove*
• Use five berries to help catch Pokémon.
  • Rewards: Exeggcute*
• Defeat five Team GO Rocket Grunts.
  • Rewards: Rufflet*
• Take a snapshot of your buddy.
  • Rewards: Four Razz Berries and two Pinap Berries.
• Hatch 2 eggs.
  • Rewards: Audino*

The new Secrets of the Jungle Field Research tasks are, as ever, incentives to take part in the limited-time event. Even if you're not making massive progress on the Special Research tasks, you'll earn Field Research rewards while you chip away at them.

Most of this event's Field Research tasks aware Pokémon that will go a long way in helping you clear the Special Research challenges as well. Use the information above to hold onto any rewards you may need to clear the next hurdle.

Every one of the featured Pokémon have the potential to be shiny as well, so it's a great time to work on your Shiny Dex.

Secrets of the Jungle Event Special Research

Step One

• Catch seven different species of Pokémon. (one Sun Stone)
• Catch seven Pokémon. (Diglett)
• Take three snapshots of wild Ground-type Pokémon. (15 PokéBalls)

Rewards: 250 Stardust, 10 Nanab Berries, and Drilbur

Step Two

• Make five Great Throws in a row. (five Pinap Berries)
• Catch 10 Bug-type Pokémon. (Dwebble)
• Take three snapshots of wild Bug-type Pokémon. (ten Great Balls)

Rewards: 250 Stardust, 10 Razz Berries, and Combee

Step Three

• Use 20 Berries to help catch Pokémon. (Sunny Cherrim)
• Catch 30 Grass or Bug-type Pokémon. (Vileplume)
• Take three snapshots of wild Grass-type Pokémon. (ten Great Balls)

Rewards: 500 Stardust, 10 Pinap Berries, and Nuzleaf.

Step Four

• Defeat six Team GO Rocket Grunts. (Ariados)
• Catch 15 Pokémon with Weather Boost. (Butterfree)
• Take three snapshots of wild Flying-type Pokémon. (ten Ultra Balls)

Rewards: 500 Stardust, 1 Poffin, and Rufflet.

Step Five

• Claim Reward! (1000 XP)
• Claim Reward! (1000 XP)
• Claim Reward! (1000 XP)

Rewards: Zarude, ten Zarude Candy, 1000 Stardust.

Now that they're available in-game, we can see that the Secrets of the Jungle Special Research goals aren't particularly difficult at all. In fact, the event spawns should make the goals very easy to complete. Look for Drilbur and Larvitar for the Ground-type snapshot challenge, Combee and Dwebble for the Bug-type one, and Cottonee for the Grass-type objective.

As ever, the rewards start to ramp up the further into the missions you get. None of the reward Pokémon are particularly powerful assets these days, but some, like Vileplumb, can be hard to add to your collection given just how many Pokémon roam around these days. Get through the lot and you'll be able to add the best Grass-type Pokémon in the game to your team in no time.