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City Nature Challenge

Friday, April 30 – Monday, May 3, 2021

Close up photo of a green leaf.


 

 

The City Nature Challenge 2021 is a worldwide collaboration to document as many species of plants, insects, and animals as we can find in a four-day period from April 30 to May 3, 2021. This challenge is a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn more about our local environment. San Diego is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the contiguous United States so there is no shortage of wildlife to be seen! You may even discover a new species! Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants are urged to carefully follow current public health guidelines provided by our local government.







 


 



How to Participate


Download the iNaturalist app from the App Store or Google Play.


  • STEP 1: Find wildlife anywhere in San Diego County.

  • STEP 2: Take photos of wild plants & animals.

  • STEP 3: Share your observations in the iNaturalist app.

  • STEP 4: Help identify what everyone found from May 4 – May 9, 2021.


Programs



 

iNaturalist How-To Videos




Ideas on How You Can Participate


Explore your home or yard


  • What can you find by looking outside your windows?

  • What are the wild plants growing in your yard? (Hint: even weeds counts!)

  • What insects or other creatures can you find in your gardens?

  • What observations can you find along the sidewalk?


Explore your neighborhood


  • Take a walk and locate other organisms that live in your neighborhood

  • Look up! You can spot birds and insects in trees, on top of buildings, on telephone poles, etc.

  • Look down! Find insects and other creatures crawling on the ground, in the dirt, underneath leaves, etc.

  • Visit your local park, beach, or hiking trail. Look in the grass, on plants, under benches and tables, up in the trees, and in the sky – how many different species will you find?


There’s no need to know what species you’re photographing, the iNaturalist community will identify them for you – that’s part of the fun!



 

Collage image of adults and children exploring nature

 

 

The San Diego Natural History Museum logo              iNaturalist logo