A mother and child making observations in a garden.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images
Visakhapatnam is all set to join a global celebration of curiosity and conservation as the City Nature Challenge (CNC) 2025 kicks off from April 25 to 28. A worldwide citizen science event powered by the iNaturalist app, this initiative invites Nature lovers, from school kids to seasoned wildlife watchers, to turn into biodiversity detectives for the four days of the initiative to document and protect urban biodiversity.
All you need is a smartphone, a curious eye, and a bit of time outdoors. “Participants can upload any observation from their surroundings, be it fungi on a damp wall, a spider web on a balcony, or trees in your neighborhood park,” says K Vimal Raj of Wilded, one of Visakhapatnam’s Nature education organisations. “This initiative is critical in mapping the biodiversity of a region and many times leads to interesting discoveries, like a first-time record of a plant or animal species from the city. From a broader perspective, it helps to understand the effects of climate change better.”
A person uses the iNaturalist app to document a plant leaf.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Along with Wilded, environmental champions like Wildlife Conservation Through Research & Education (WCTRE), East Coast Conservation Team, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), World Wildlife Fund for Nature (India) and other Nature groups are rallying for citizens to step outside and document the natural world that often goes unnoticed. Vivek Rathod of WCTRE will be taking a group of participants to the Fishing Harbour on Friday morning for a guided walk from 8am to 8.45am as part of the City Nature Challenge. IGZP had conducted an orientation session earlier on how to take part in the CNC. Throughout the three days of the event, zoo education team will be assisting participants to clock their observations in the iNaturalist app.
How to participate
A girl exploring nature with magnifying glass.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
Participation is simple. Just download the iNaturalist app, check if your city is part of the challenge, and start clicking. Whether you spot an insect or the same crow that visits your windowsill each morning, every observation contributes to a growing global database that helps researchers, conservationists, and policymakers understand the planet’s shifting biodiversity patterns. When photographing a plant for the iNaturalist app, capture multiple angles and details for taking clear shots of the flowers, leaves, stem, and even any visible fruits or buds. These features help in accurate identification.
There is no upper limit to the number of observations, and this year, the organisers are upping the excitement with digital participation certificates. Anyone who submits over 500 observations with more than 50 unique species between April 25 and 28 will receive a digital badge of honour.
Published – April 24, 2025 03:54 pm IST