Join Cape Town’s biodiversity blitz as City Nature Challenge returns

Capetonians and Cape Town visitors, it’s that time of year again: the City Nature Challenge is back and is set to take place in just a few days!

In light of this, the City of Cape Town is calling on its residents to register, get those comfy walking shoes out and explore the Mother City’s natural beauty between Monday, 21 April and 28 April, by taking part in the challenge while taking photos of any plants or animals on their smartphones or cameras.

The annual Global City Nature Challenge sees over 2,000 cities across the globe compete to record the most observations of local fauna and flora over four days by uploading their findings onto the free iNaturalist app.

Experts will then help to identify the wildlife species ranging anywhere from reptiles to birds and fynbos to marine life.

‘This is the tenth anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, and the theme for 2025 is ‘Bring the Globe Together for Biodiversity’.

‘This challenge is all about documenting the wildlife in our city,’ says City’s Deputy Mayor and MMC for Spatial Planning and Environment Alderman Eddie Andrews.

In the spirit of accessibility, access to the City’s nature reserves will be free during this period for those taking part in the City Nature Challenge – making Capetonians spoilt for choice with an array of nature reserves and conservation areas to explore (a list of all reserves, with location, facilities and attractions can be accessed here).

‘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,’ adds Andrews.

‘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 go out there to show off our local biodiversity to the world.’

How to get involved

Bring along your smartphone with a camera and GPS turned on, or a camera that connects to a computer with internet access.

Be sure to have a stable internet connection (at home, school, City nature reserve, or City Library)

Download the free iNaturalist app and sign up via this link here (once downloaded, please ensure that you check your iNaturalist app regularly for updates ahead of the challenge this weekend).

Spread out across the peninsula, capture any flora and fauna you see, and upload them onto the app for experts to identify.

There is no limit to the number of observations one can submit, so all those taking part are encouraged to record as many observations as they can find in nature reserves, suburbs, schools, gardens, and other open spaces across the Cape.

Please note that the free entry to City reserves does not include participating in the reserve’s permitted activities. Entry and permit fees still apply for permissible activities such as 4×4 off-roading, sandboarding, quad biking, etc.

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