Dubai will join hundreds of cities worldwide for the City Nature Challenge from 24–27 April, inviting residents to discover and document the wildlife living alongside them.
Terra, Expo City Dubai, leads Dubai’s participation, inviting people of all ages to simply take a photo of any plant or animal and upload it using the iNaturalist app.
Over four days, Dubai will transform into a living laboratory, with no expertise required to take part. Each observation will contribute to real data used to better understand and protect biodiversity.
Residents can take part from anywhere across the city. Open to all, the initiative transforms everyday moments, from a walk in the park to time on the beach, into meaningful contributions to science.
Last year, participants recorded over 1,300 observations in just four days, capturing a snapshot of biodiversity across the city, from purple sunbirds and damselflies to sand geckos, scorpions and salmon Arab butterflies.
‘Cities are often understood through what is built, rather than what is living,’ said Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of Education & Culture at Expo City Dubai. ‘City Nature Challenge shifts that perspective, offering a way to engage with the living systems that exist alongside everyday urban life.’
Home to an overlooked natural world
Beyond its rapid development, Dubai is home to a rich and often overlooked natural world.
Last year, participants recorded over 1,300 observations in just four days, capturing a snapshot of biodiversity across the city, from purple sunbirds and damselflies to sand geckos, scorpions and salmon Arab butterflies.
But you don’t need to be an expert to take part. If you’re seeking some guidance, Terra has a series of free expert-led nature walks across the city, from early-morning walks at Mushrif Park to nighttime desert explorations.
Identification of photographed species will be crowdsourced through the online community 28 April–10 May, and results will be announced on 13 May.
First launched in 2015, the City Nature Challenge has grown into a global movement spanning hundreds of cities and generating millions of biodiversity observations each year.
City Nature Challenge Festival.
For the weekend of 25-26 April, Terra is also hosting the Nature & Wonder: City Nature Challenge Festival.
The festival features guided biodiversity walks every 30 minutes, workshops, talks, creative activities, alongside indoor screenings and a curated eco-market to explore.
Tickets are priced at AED 50, with children under three entering free. These sessions offer participants the opportunity to learn how to identify species while contributing directly to the challenge.
