City Nature Challenge

For the first time, the annual City Nature Challenge—one of the world’s largest community science events—has recorded over 1 million wildlife observations! Every observation made during the 4-day event, co-founded by the Academy, contributes important data to monitor and protect our planet’s biodiversity.

More than 2,200 Bay Area residents racked up 32,100+ observations this year. The most-observed species? You guessed it: the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica). Other highlights include:

• a stunningly patterned long-nosed snake
• a stern gaze from a great horned owl
• the vulnerable and endemic Oakland mariposa lily
• a prowling mountain lion caught on a camera trap
• an otherworldly opalescent nudibranch
• and a decaying endangered fin whale recently necropsied by the California Academy of Sciences and The Marine Mammal Center

^{Long-nosed snake photo © Tony Iwane}

From getting the word out to hosting events, the Academy's Bay Area partners make City Nature Challenge the inspiring, empowering, and fun 4-day nature bioblitz that it is—and we are incredibly grateful. Click the links below to learn more about each group.

California Native Plant Society | California Lichen Society | Bay Nature | San Francisco Department of the Environment | Nature in the City | Presidio Trust | Golden Gate Audubon Society | California Native Plant Society Yerba Buena Chapter | Sutro Stewards | Golden Gate National Recreation Area | San Mateo County Parks | Sequoia Audubon Society | Bioblitz.club | East Bay Regional Parks | California Center for Natural History | Community for Lake Merritt | Oakland Zoo | Oakland Museum of California | Wholly H2o | One Tam | Marin Municipal Water District | Marin County Parks | Sonoma Ecology Center | Sonoma County Parks | Pepperwood Preserve | Napa County RCD | Saved by Nature