Skip to content Skip to navigation

India Leads the City Nature Challenge with 206 Cities Participating

New Delhi: India has emerged as the largest participant in the 9th annual City Nature Challenge (CNC), with 206 Indian cities among the 675 global participants. This collaborative citizen science event, running from April 26 to 29, is organized in India by WWF-India to encourage people to document and share images of wild plants, animals, and fungi using the iNaturalist app.

WWF-India is spearheading this initiative across several states, including Assam, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and New Delhi. Neha Raghav, Director of Environment Education at WWF-India, highlighted CNC's importance, saying, "CNC is a great opportunity to engage people of all ages in citizen science."

In Assam, the event kicked off on Earth Day with youth from various colleges and universities conducting BioBlitzes. Participating institutions include Gauhati University and Cotton University. Archita Baruah Bhattacharyya, State Coordinator for WWF-India in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, noted that CNC 2024 has expanded to include the entire North East, with two main cities—Guwahati and Digboi—leading the effort.

Globally, the CNC has seen rapid growth, with the number of participating cities increasing from 450 in 2023 to over 675 in 2024. Last year, CNC saw over 66,000 participants and nearly 1.87 million observations, with Hyderabad emerging as the top Indian city.

To participate in CNC, individuals can find wildlife, take pictures or sound recordings, and upload them to iNaturalist. This collaborative effort not only contributes to scientific research but also raises awareness about biodiversity conservation. For more information on participating cities and how to join, visit CNC India Website.

Comments

LAKHINANDAN DUTTA's picture

Cnc is helping to save wildlife in city areas
LAKHINANDAN DUTTA's picture

Cnc helping to save wildlife in city areas.

Pages

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Security forces claimed to have killed a hardcore ULFA militant at an encounter in Tinsukia on Friday. Identified as Raktavij Asom he was killed early in the morning. The encounter took place during a combing operation launched at Kordoiguri on Thursday evening. A police sub inspector also was killed in the encounter. Another ULFA leader is hiding at a house. Operation is going on.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi strongly came in defence of Zubeen Garg after ULFA slammed the popular singer for not adhering to the diktat on Hindi performance in bihu functions. Talking to reporters in Bokakhat on Thursday Gogoi said that ULFA diktat has no basis and that all artists are free to perform in any language. Gogoi further said that if asked for the government is ready to provide him security force.
Braving ULFA diktat  Zubeen Garg peformed in Hindi in the bihu function in Guwahati. The popular singer sang in Hindi one after another songs at two functions on Thursday evening.  Hours before it, he made it clear that he wont act on any diktat and that he would perform in Hindi. He said that culture has no barrier in language. He dared ULFA to take action against him after the outfit took on him for Hindi performance at the Latashil function.
Noted Singer Zubeen Garg takes on ULFA saying that he would always sing against terrorism in all forms. Reacting to ULFA threat on Ya Ali performance in Latasheel Bihu function he said that it was the popular demand that forced him to do so. He said that he won’t perform from the next year in Bihu programmes.Before that Ulfa, threatened the noted Assamese singer for singing Hindi songs on stage during a Rangali Bihu function at Latasheel in Guwahati. The Paresh Baruah-led faction of the banned outfit condemned the singer for disobeying their earlier diktat preventing singers from singing Hindi songs at Bihu functions. 
The United Liberation Front of Asom has strongly criticized Zubeen Garg for performing in Hindi at the Latasheel function.In a statement released to media on Thursday, the outfit alleged that the artist has downplayed the appeal.The Paresh Baruah faction of ULFA has warned Assam singers from singing Hindi songs in the upcoming Rongali Bihu functions and the organisers to desist from holding dances set to Bollywood songs.   
In a bizarre incident, a huge number of fishes are found floating dead at a historic pond in Hajo.The scene caught the notice of the local people from Wednesday evening where the fishes started floating dead while many tortoise were fluttering in the Madhav temple. Theexperts have yet to ascertain the reasons.
Yet another tremor jolts the state on Tuesday. The tremor, which is second one during the last 10 hours in the north eastern region took place at 2-10 in the afternoon.The quake was moderately felt in Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Tinsukia, Jorhat and Dibrugarh districts after it originated in Arunachal Pradesh along the Indo-China border. There is no report of any loss of life and property.   
A businessman commits suicide in Guwahati after he was upset with business. Identified as S Malow, the gold trader committed suicide a day after gold prices hit 15-month low. He was found dead at his residence in Paltanbazar.
A mild tremor jolted parts of the state on Tuesday. Originated at Nongpoh in Meghalaya at round 6.54 in the morning. Panic sticken people in Guwahati came out to the streets as soon as the 4.4 magnitude quake started rattling the city.
Search operation is on to find out the B Tech student of IIT-Guwahati who has been missing since Saturday. Final year student Ajay Kumar Yadav, who hails from Jaipur in Rajasthan, was last seen by his classmates on Friday. The student used to stay in IIT-Guwahati hostel. Classmates and teachers tried to call him on his mobile but found it switched off. IIT-G authorities have filed a missing person complaint in this regard at the Amingaon police station.