Seven was indeed a lucky number for Peterborough, with its recent ranking of seventh place in the national City Nature Challenge held in celebration of Earth Day in April.
Peterborough exceeded last year’s numbers when it came to higher public participation, more species sighted, and greater total observations logged.
From amphibians and insects to trees and fungus, the annual nature challenge encourages people to spot and record their wildlife observations. The City of Peterborough helped residents identify local species during a weekend “bio-blitz” from April 26 to 29.
In total, there were 2,076 observations that recorded 577 species within the community during the four days of citizen science for the second annual community bio-blitz to record wildlife.
Of the 40 participating Canadian communities, Peterborough ranked 13th in the total number of observations made, 12th in total number of species observed, and 11th in the number of participants making observations.
However, Peterborough ranked seventh per capita for the total number of observations made during the bio-blitz, outperforming larger cities including Kingston and Toronto.
On May 6, wildlife experts completed their identification and verification of recorded nature observations gathered during the bio-blitz and submitted it to the event organizers.
“Community events like the City Nature Challenge showcase how truly alive our city is, with wildlife in every nook and cranny waiting to be discovered,” said City of Peterborough Councillor Joy Lachica in a media release. “Residents should celebrate that they share their homes with so many plants and animals, which makes Peterborough an extra-special place to live for all.”
The City of Peterborough partnered with the Peterborough Field Naturalists to curate guided nature walks led by volunteers at GreenUP Ecology Park and Beavermead Park on April 26 and 27.
In addition, organizers offered nature-focused children’s programming during the two days that was intended “to excite kids about the beauty of nature found in Peterborough.”
Peterborough’s most observed species from April 26 to 29 were as follows:
- Plant species: 31 Yellow Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum)
- Bird species: 25 Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)
- Tree species: 23 Eastern White Cedars (Thuja occidentalis)
- Fungus species: 16 Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)
- Mammal species: 12 Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)
- Insect species: Seven Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis)
- Amphibian species: Seven Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans)
Retired botanist Michael Oldham made the most observations at 300 and also recorded the most species at 181.
The full list of local observations is available on the Peterborough iNaturalist project page, with national results also available on the iNaturalist website.
The next City Nature Challenge is slated to run from April 25 to 28, 2025.
