Attention, aspiring scientists, big and small! It’s time to participate in the annual City Nature Challenge, a worldwide event with a local focus. This year, the Challenge runs from April 25 to April 28.
Help the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area (including Everett, Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and any place within Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties) show the world how biodiverse our region is by making observations of local species during the Challenge period. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and Woodland Park Zoo are encouraging people of all ages to participate.
The Challenge is a fun opportunity for kids to get outside, be scientists, and contribute to a valuable conservation project. And don’t worry — the app for photographing and recording your observations is very user-friendly!
Here’s how the City Nature Challenge works:
Step 1: Download the app
A free app called iNaturalist can be downloaded onto a PC or portable device to track what you see. Observations can be made anytime, but to count toward the City Nature Challenge, they have to be recorded from April 25 to April 28, 2025. Watch an orientation video on the Woodland Park Zoo’s website.
Step 2: Attend a free, guided nature walk
You and your family are welcome to join the City Nature Challenge on your own, but for an extra special experience, join naturalists from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium or Woodland Park Zoo for guided nature walks. These free, family-friendly walks are a fantastic way to discover the amazing wildlife in our local parks and learn how to use the iNaturalist app to make your own nature observations.
Discovering a ground beetle. Record and upload the photo to the City Nature Challenge app. (Image courtesy City Nature Challenge)
Step 3: Start snapping photos
Once you have the app and have joined the local Challenge, start snapping photos of wild plants, animals, and fungi you see. If you can identify the species, do so. Otherwise, the app’s artificial intelligence can make suggestions for you. Record your location, time, and date.
Step 4: Identify observations
Then, anytime through May 4, participants are invited to go in and identify observations – their own or others. Each observation needs two identifications to be verified. Individuals can also participate online only by helping to identify the nature observations of others.
The data is used to help scientists understand how our regional wildlife is faring and how to protect it. It’s also a chance to make our mark on the world: every year, the region with the most observations and the individual with the most unusual species spotted are highlighted on the app’s homepage.
