Texas Logs Over 340,000 Wildlife Observations During Global Nature Challenge

AUSTIN, TX — Texas participants documented more than 150 species of "greatest conservation need" during the 10th annual City Nature Challenge, contributing to more than 342,000 wildlife observations across the state.

Fourteen metropolitan areas in Texas took part in the global community science event, which ran in April and drew more than 100,000 participants from 669 cities across 62 countries. Worldwide, the challenge yielded over 3.3 million observations and identified more than 73,000 species, including 3,338 rare, endangered, or threatened.

Texas accounted for nearly 10 percent of the global total, with the San Antonio Metro Area ranking second in both total observations and species recorded. The Dallas/Fort Worth area placed fourth in observations and sixth in species.

Among the more than 9,800 species documented in Texas were at-risk animals such as the Texas horned lizard, Cascade Caverns salamander, cave myotis, and Texas tortoise.

The City Nature Challenge is organized by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Participants use the free iNaturalist app to photograph and identify wild plants, animals, and fungi.

In Texas, the effort is supported by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Nature Trackers program. 

More information about the project and regional results can be found on the City Nature Challenge website.