Written by Fayruz Prins

The City Nature Challenge is a global annual event that encourages citizens to document urban biodiversity. Nature Connect, in partnership with various organisations, works to preserve nature within the city of Cape Town. As one of the six floral kingdoms in the world, boasting around 9,000 plant species, Cape Town has the potential to lead the world in uploading diverse plant and animal pictures during the City Nature Challenge. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for neighbouring communities to get involved in conservation areas, explore nature, and share images of Cape Town’s biodiversity.

Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area (KRCA), supported by the Friends of KRCA, participates annually to represent Cape Town’s biodiversity. This year, two bioblitz sessions were hosted on April 28th and 29th. The public was invited to photograph various aspects of biodiversity, including plants, animals, animal habitats, and remains.

A total of 44 observers from across Cape Town joined the KRCA’s bioblitz sessions. Participants learned about the event, the site, and how to use the iNaturalist app, the platform used for this “citizen science” initiative. Under the guidance of KRCA staff, participants eagerly captured photos of everything in their path, from tiny graminoids to soaring birds. Together, the observers recorded 1,077 observations on the site, with the most observed species, unsurprisingly, falling under the flora category, including the Purple Sorrel (Oxalis purpurea). A rare sighting of a Rufous Breasted Sparrowhawk was also documented and can be viewed on the Kenilworth Racecourse project on iNaturalist.

Globally, the City of Cape Town secured an impressive 2nd place out of 482 participating cities. Through 52,997 observations, 3,927 species, and 1,303 participants, Cape Town showcased its remarkable biodiversity. La Paz (Mexico) took 1st place with 128,052 observations, 4,948 species, and 3,064 participants (almost triple the number of participants compared to Cape Town). With greater participation, Cape Town has the potential to reclaim the top position, as it did in 2021.

We challenge you to set your sights on joining the City Nature Challenge 2024 and help Cape Town regain its rightful place at the top of the leaderboard!