27 Apr City Nature Challenge
Created in 2016 by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the City Nature Challenge calls on citizen scientists from around the globe to make observations and collect data about the unique wildlife in their cities. This year’s City Nature Challenge takes place from Friday, April 29 to Monday, May 2. The results of the challenge will be reviewed and released to the public between Tuesday, May 3 and Sunday, May 8. Participation is easy, accessible, and open to all ages. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the biodiversity within your local community!
iNatrualist is the City Nature Challenge’s chosen platform for recording and sharing your wildlife observations. If you are interested in taking part, you will need to download the iNaturalist app (compatible with iOS and Android devices) or visit iNaturalist.org and create a free account. Then, join the City Nature Challenge 2022: Indianapolis project, which includes Hendricks county.
Between April 29 and May 2, you will be able to take pictures of the wildlife in your area (with a smartphone, tablet, or digital camera), upload them to iNaturalist, record important information such as the species of the plants and animals and their location, and add them to the Indianapolis project. Luckily, iNaturalist will suggest species names when you upload photos, so you don’t have to do too much extra digging if you’re unsure of a plant or animal’s common or scientific name.
To learn more about the process, you can visit iNaturalist’s “Getting Started” guide.
So, put on your citizen scientist hat this weekend and explore the wildlife that’s right outside your front door!
Take a look at some of the resources PGTPL has that may come in handy:
- For information about plant and animal biology: Everything You Need to Ace Biology in One Big Fat Notebook by Matthew Brown
- For information about plants and animals that are native to Indiana: AtoZ The USA
- For taking cool photos: Smartphone Camera Lenses in our Library of Things