City Nature Challenge time and the City of Cape Town is calling on Capetonians to register on the iNaturalist app and to participate in the challenge between 28 April 2023 and 2 May 2023.
Deputy Mayor and the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews visited Rondevlei, a section of the False Bay Nature Reserve to explore some of the natural beauty the reserve has to offer. Rondevlei is one of the many City-managed conservation areas which residents can visit while taking part in the City Nature Challenge.
Bongani Zungu, Biodiversity Coordinator at Rondevlei and Alderman Eddie Andrews, City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment
‘My visit to Rondevlei yesterday was so refreshing. We are so privileged to have such vast and beautiful natural spaces such as the False Bay Nature Reserve, right within our urban areas. Our residents have so many conservation areas not too far from their homes which they can visit just to break away from the city’s hustle and bustle. It is for this reason that I think we are in a very good position to secure a place in the top few positions in the City Nature Challenge by making the most observations of plants and animals over the last weekend of this month and spotting the most species. Do yourself a favour and use this as an opportunity to explore the nature that exists and is being preserved within our city,’ said Alderman Andrews.
- The City Nature Challenge is about finding all the wildlife in a city. All that is required of residents when making an observation is to take a photo and upload it onto the iNaturalist app. Experts will then help to identify the fauna or flora.
Cape Town is competing with various international cities to record the most observations of local plant and animal species.
‘Together, Cape Town participants were able to record 66 144 observations and 4 388 species across the city in the last year. We would really like to increase our number of participants this year and are targeting 3000 participants for this year’s competition. We have 116 wards in the City and if we get at least 25 participants per ward we will easily achieve the 2023 target. The mother city has been the winner of at least two categories previously, a title we are extremely keen to receive again this year,’ said Alderman Andrews.
- Participants who make the most observations or capture the most species will win various prizes, which include nature reserve accommodation from CapeNature and the City of Cape Town.
In Cape Town you are spoilt for choice with an array of nature reserves and conservation areas right on their doorstep. Guided tours at coastal and inland protected areas across the city have been arranged. Here participants will have the opportunity to capture an array of species ranging from reptiles to birds and fynbos to marine life.
Information about conservation areas around Cape Town
• City of Cape Town reserves will be open to the public free of charge from 27 April until 2 May 2023. For a list of all of the City’s reserves and details about their location, facilities and attractions, please visit
• Cape Point will be open free of charge to registered participants of City Nature Challenge events only
A list of planned activities and events that will take place during the challenge at various conservation areas across Cape Town can be found HERE and City Nature Challenge 2023: City of Cape Town · iNaturalist will be updated as the challenge approaches, so residents are advised to keep checking in.
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.
WHAT: City Nature Challenge
WHERE: City of Cape Town
WHEN: 28 April 2023 and 2 May 2023
INFO: Eleanor Hutchings at Eleanor.Hutchings@capetown.gov.za or Tony Rebelo at t.rebelo@sanbi.org.za
PHOTO: Lorin Caderberg, City Environmental Management Department staff member capturing some of the flora beauty at Rondevlei.
See also Cape Town Green Map
