The 2024 City Nature Challenge – and City of Cape Town is inviting Capetonians and visitors to the City to participate and show people around the world that Cape Town is one of the most biodiverse cities on the planet.
- From Friday, 26 April 2024, to Monday, 29 April 2024, members of the public and City staff are encouraged to record their observations of local plant and animal species and stand a chance to win exclusive prizes.
- Residents in Cape Town are spoilt for choice with an array of nature reserves and conservation areas. Pedestrian access to the City’s nature reserves will be free from 26 April until 29 April 2024 for those taking part in the challenge.
‘The City Nature Challenge is about documenting all the wildlife in our city. All that is required of residents when contributing an observation is to take a photo and upload it onto the iNaturalist app. Volunteers from over 2 000 cities worldwide will be recording their animals and plants over four days at the end of April. This is your opportunity to be part of the mammoth record taking of our local biodiversity,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Sand Rain Frog
‘Last year Cape Town submitted a staggering 53 051 observations during the event, documenting 3 592 species, from 1 286 observers. This great effort saw us placed second in number of observations and fourth in number of species globally. This is an amazing achievement. Our challenge going forward is to increase the number of people participating, and inspiring Capetonians to get even more involved,’ added Alderman Andrews.
For a list of all of the City’s reserves and details about their location, facilities and attractions, please or see Cape Town Green Map .
To get started, one needs:
• A smartphone with a camera and GPS turned on, or a camera that connects to a computer with internet access
• An internet connection (at home, school, City nature reserve, or City library)
• To install the free iNaturalist app, and sign up, via .
Once downloaded please ensure that you check your iNaturalist app regularly for updates as the challenge approaches next weekend.
Mauve Stinger
Schools, universities and social groups are encouraged to use this as an opportunity to facilitate, manage and support student outdoor learning and exploration in schoolyards, nearby parks or other green spaces.
There is no limit to the amount of observations one can submit. One can record as many wild plants and animals that they can find in nature reserves, suburbs, schools and gardens.
WHAT: 2024 City Nature Challenge
WHERE: Cape Town
WHEN: 26 April 2024, to Monday, 29 April 2024
INFO: City Nature Challenge | Facebook | Eleanor Hutchings Eleanor.Hutchings@capetown.gov.za or Tony Rebelo at t.rebelo@sanbi.org.za  | See also Cape Town Green Map
PHOTOS:
1. South African Mantis (Miomantis caffra) by Heather and Andrew Hodgson. Submitted on the iNaturalist App on 25 April 2019
2. Sand Rain Frog (Breviceps rosei ssp) by Siziphiwe Xego. Submitted 23 January 2020
3. Mauve Stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) by Ofek Liepaz. Submitted on 1 May 2022
