A global City Nature Challenge event, held across the 24th to 27th April, is set to be celebrated in Hull again this year.
The worldwide challenge sees users download the iNaturalist app and record urban wildlife sightings within their city boundaries between Friday to Monday. This can include wild animals, plants, birds, insects and fungi.
You don’t need to be an expert to get involved, as the app uses tools to help identify the species.
Organised locally by the North & East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre (NEYEDC), with support from other partners such as The Deep and volunteers, this is the 4th year Hull has been involved.
The challenge encourages people to discover the biodiversity on their doorstep, make useful biological records, and engage in friendly competition with cities around the world. Any observations made will support local conservation efforts to look after, and connect with, native wildlife in parks and green spaces.
Bug hunts and self-guided trails will be held at East Park Animal Education Centre on 25th and 26th April in partnership with The Deep, encouraging families and children to get involved in the challenge.
Additional events being held across the city include a Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park Community Event, featuring nature-based activities and a bug hunt. Hull Mammal Group is also hosting a free small mammal recording event as part of National Mammal Week (which coincides with CNC) using footprint tunnels.
2025 saw 7,050 observations made across the 4 days of 1,292 different species, placing Hull 7th place in the UK leaderboard. The Deep is calling upon local citizens to get involved again this year.
Further information on the challenge can be found here.