In India's City Nature Challenge, Hyderabad came out on top

Hyderabad, one of the 35 Indian cities that participated, had the most observations and the most people there.

From April 28-May 1, 337 citizen scientists descended upon Hyderabad for the City Nature Challenge, where they meticulously logged over 30,000 observations of more than 1,900 species.

Cities from all around the world showed up in force to participate in the City Nature Challenge 2023, a global competition to record examples of urban biodiversity.

Hyderabad, one of the 35 Indian cities that participated, had the most observations and the most people there. This remarkable accomplishment exemplifies Hyderabad's dedication to protecting and celebrating nature throughout the city.

The challenge, which was spearheaded by Farida, Akbar, Ram, and Priyanka, WWF-India's core volunteers, provided a rare opportunity for nature lovers to bond over a shared passion while also aiding in the global effort to conserve biodiversity.

Enthusiastic participant and nature lover Ram Dayal Vaishnav remarked that "it is a unique opportunity to increase our understanding of nature and to contribute to global urban biodiversity data collection at the same time."

During the challenge, amateur naturalists snapped photos of interesting sights, such as the Neem tree, the Common lantana plant, the Sacred Fig tree, Santa Maria Feverfew, the Red-vented Bulbul, and the Plain Tiger Butterfly.

But what really got people's attention were the remarkable findings of 33 endangered species thriving in the middle of the metropolis. These species included the Bengal quince, the Purcell's hunter slug, the spot-billed pelican, and many more.

Intriguing observations of previously unidentified species, such as the cryptic ant species Anochetus rufus, the sandalwood fungal disease Pseudoidiumsantalacearum, and the medicinal herb Enicostemma axillare, were made possible by the challenge.

State Director of WWF-India Hyderabad office Farida Tampal said, "We are happy to observe Hyderabad's excellent performance on a worldwide scale. We hope that long-term participation in citizen science projects and a stronger connection to nature can be fostered through events like the City Nature Challenge.