Cape Town residents and visitors are invited to participate in this year’s City Nature Challenge by capturing photos of any plants or animals on their smart phones or cameras. From Friday, 25 April 2025, to Monday, 28 April 2025, members of the public and City staff are encouraged to record and upload their observations on the iNaturalist app. People from over 2 000 cities worldwide will be recording their local animals and plants next weekend.
This is the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, and the theme for 2025 is ‘Bring the Globe Together for Biodiversity’. This challenge is about documenting 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. Capetonians are spoilt for choice with an array of nature reserves and conservation areas. Access to the City’s nature reserves will be free from 25 April until 28 April 2025 for those taking part in the challenge,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
How to get involved:
- 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)
- Download the free iNaturalist app from the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) and sign up via this link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-city-of-cape-town
Once downloaded, please ensure that you check your iNaturalist app regularly for updates ahead of the challenge next weekend.
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 number of observations one can submit. Residents are encouraged to record as many wild plants and animals that they can find in nature reserves, suburbs, schools and gardens.
‘In 2024, the City Nature Challenge saw more than 83 000 people across 690 cities in 51 countries on all seven continents documenting more than 2,4 million wildlife observations. Of these observations, 42 643 were done in Cape Town. I am confident that we can increase these numbers this year. I encourage residents to put on their citizen scientist caps and to go out there to show off our local biodiversity to the world,’ added Alderman Andrews.
For a list of all of the City’s reserves and details about their location, facilities and attractions, please visit: https://bit.ly/3fbddE2
The free entry to the reserves does not include participating in the reserve’s permitted activities. Entry and permit fees still apply for permissible activities (e.g. 4×4 off-roading, sandboarding, quad biking).
For information about the City Nature Challenge, visit:
- https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-city-of-cape-town and the following Facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/iNatureZA
- Alternatively, please contact Eleanor Hutchings at Eleanor.Hutchings@capetown.gov.za or Tony Rebelo at t.rebelo@sanbi.org.za
