Locals are implored to register on the iNaturalist app to participate in the City Nature Challenge, which celebrates natural beauty with wildlife observations between Friday 28 April and Monday 1 May.
The challenge is an international event, motivating individuals around the globe to find and document wildlife. The City of Cape Town is competing with various international cities to record the most observations of local plant and animal species. A list of City reserves participants can visit, as part of their involvement in the challenge, include the Helderberg Nature Reserve (in Verster Avenue, Somerset West), Harmony Flats Nature Reserve (11th Avenue, Strand) and Steenbras Nature Reserve (in Marine Drive, Faure on the R44), about 9 km from Gordon’s Bay, which will be open to the public free of charge from Thursday 27 April.
All that is required of residents when observing is to take a photo and upload it onto the iNaturalist app. Experts will then help to identify the fauna or flora.
“Together, Cape Town participants were able to record 66 144 observations and 4 388 species across the city in the last year,” said Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews, who is also Mayco Member for Spatial Planning and the Environment. “We would really like to increase our number of participants this year and are targeting 3 000 participants this time around. We have 116 wards in the city, and if we have 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.”
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.
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. For more information, email Eleanor Hutchings at Eleanor.Hutchings@capetown.gov.za; or Tony Rebelo at t.rebelo@sanbi.org.za.
