Despite coronavirusCity Nature Challenge 2020 to take place 24-27 April

The City Nature Challenge will not be a competition this year, but instead will serve as an opportunity to highlight wildlife and biodiversity in and around our homes, apartments, balconies and gardens. Participants can explore their surroundings while respecting government guidelines.

The City Nature Challenge is an initiative that brings together more than 200 cities from around the world in a contest with the aim of observing the most wildlife during the four days from 24 to 27 April 2020.

Anyone interested can participate by installing the free iNaturalist app (iOS and Android) on a smartphone and uploading photos of wildlife (animals, plants, or fungi), as well as making observations.

Here are some tips for taking part:

• Look for spiders or insects in and around your house or apartment.
• Look for wild plants and mushrooms that grow in your garden or patio or small animals that live there.
• Lift stones or pieces of wood to detect insects, molluscs or spiders hiding there
• Sit by your window or on the balcony and watch the birds and insects passing by. You can also record birdsong.
• If you have a lamp outside you can turn it on and watch night bugs that are attracted to the light.
• Pets or house plants or vegetables from your garden don't count!