• Dubai joins global City Nature Challenge from April 25 to 28.
  • Terra leads a wild, city-wide biodiversity spotting expedition.
  • Snap local wildlife and upload it to the iNaturalist app.
  • Best wildlife photo wins Terra tickets and exhibition feature.

If you thought Dubai was all glitz, glam, and five-star everything — think again. This April, the city’s pulling a total wild card move, and it’s about to get real leafy, chirpy, and just a little bit competitive. Say hello to the City Nature Challenge — part safari, part science project, part flex for the ‘Gram — led by the eco-champs at Terra, Expo City Dubai.

From April 25 to 28, Dubai’s basically telling you to swap your oat milk latte stroll for a mini-wildlife expedition. Your mission? Snap every fluttering butterfly, sneaky gecko, and mysterious bush you can find and upload it to the iNaturalist app. That random bug on your windowsill? It could be Dubai’s ticket to biodiversity bragging rights.

Terra’s not doing this solo either. They’ve teamed up with heavyweights like Emirates Nature–WWF, Dubai Holding Entertainment, and Nature Wave to turn the whole city into one giant open-air science lab. Think of it like Pokémon GO, but make it eco-chic and planet-saving.

And listen, this isn’t just a cute Earth Day thing. It’s a global flex. Cities like Tokyo, Cape Town, and Singapore have already thrown down in past years, and Dubai’s ready to strut its stuff. Highest number of species spotted? Most observations logged? Dubai’s ready to play to win — and spoiler: it’s more thrilling than any influencer boxing match.

Need a crash course in Dubai’s hidden wildlife? Terra’s squad of biodiversity experts is hosting a free intro sesh on April 25th, 9AM sharp. Rookie or pro, all are welcome. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, there’s a side quest: best wildlife photo wins you free Terra tickets and a shot at Insta-fame with your snap featured at Terra itself. Flex those photography skills, people.

Long story short: whether you’re eight or eighty, it’s time to unleash your inner Attenborough. Get your phone, get outside, and get ready to fall in love with the wild, wonderful Dubai you didn’t even know was lurking behind the skyscrapers.

Ready, set, spot!

To get started, sign-up to iNaturalist today and visit https://terra.expocitydubai.com/en/poi/city-nature-challenge for step-by-step guides.