Mapping of urban biodiversity begins amid heatwave

The four-day (April 24–27) global ‘City Nature Challenge 2026' commenced on Friday, with participants from across cities documenting urban biodiversity. Due to prevailing heat conditions, activity remained modest on the opening day.

Describing the initiative, Vivek Rathod, a naturalist from Visakhapatnam, said: "The event brings together cities worldwide in a “friendly competition” to record and observe as many species as possible in public spaces such as parks, resorts, and wildlife habitats. “Participants photograph flora and fauna and upload them on the iNaturalist platform, which automatically records location, date and time. Even if one does not know the species, the platform helps identify it,” he said.