Baton Rouge Region Results

April 24-27, 2026

Y’all! We cracked into the Species TOP 10 in the USA and TOP 20 in the WORLD for the first time! What a fantastic accomplishment!

2,810
Species Documented

#16 in the world
#9 in the USA

669
People Participated

#38 in the world
#24 in the USA

18,179
Observations Made

#33 in the world
#12 in the USA

 
 
 

Favorite Finds from the 2026 Baton Rouge Region City Nature Challenge

City Nature Challenge 2026 Results

City Nature Challenge Generates Over 3,000,000 Observations in 2026 Global Event

More than 100,000 community scientists from 754 cities around the world documented more than 5,600 rare, endangered or threatened species in over 3 million observations during the 4-day community science effort 

Baton Rouge, LA (May 13, 2026) — The 11th annual City Nature Challenge (CNC) results have arrived. The yearly community science initiative saw 106,354 people across 754 cities in 61 countries on 6 continents document more than 3 million wildlife observations. More than 75,000 species were observed, with the Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) once again the most observed species and plant around the world, while the Mallard (Ana platyrhynchos) is the most observed animal species. Curious community scientists can see their own area’s statistics from this year using the new tracking tool at CityNatureStats.com.

This collaborative, global event called on current and aspiring community scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals, and fungi within their communities around the world during the stretch of April 24 - 27. As the largest annual global biodiversity census in the world, participants submitted the photos using free mobile apps such as iNaturalist, and the initiative as a whole underscores the power of community science to track real-time changes in our planet’s biodiversity.

“Documenting the rich biodiversity of our planet is essential in our rapidly changing world,” says Amy Jaecker-Jones, Associate Manager of Community Science at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Co-director of the City Nature Challenge. “City Nature Challenge participants, including those who organize in their cities, towns, or regions, and every individual who makes or identifies an observation makes a vital contribution to fighting biodiversity loss.”

Since launching the City Nature Challenge in 2016 with just 1,000 observers across a pair of California cities, the Challenge — hosted by the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) and San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences (CAS) — continues to break records year after year. Since its inception, City Nature Challenge has collected over 15 million urban biodiversity observations and engaged over 470,000 people.

"Every year during the City Nature Challenge, I take a moment to reflect on how amazing it is that while I am taking a photo of a flower in San Francisco, over 100,000 people around the world are doing the same thing in the places they call home,” says Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D. Director, Center for Biodiversity and Community Science, California Academy of Sciences, and Co-founder and Co-director of the City Nature Challenge. “This year, we collectively made observations of over 5000 threatened and endangered species and observed species that have never been recorded on iNaturalist before. Together, we have done something that would be impossible alone. The work of local and global organizers, the iNaturalist identifiers, and tens of thousands of community scientists has made the City Nature Challenge the largest annual global census of biodiversity, all driven by people paying attention to nature in our own backyards."

Photos from the 2026 Baton Rouge Region City Nature Challenge

Local Leaderboard

Thank you to our participants, volunteers, partners and identifiers!

Most Species

  1. khashagen 380

  2. hemispingus 328

  3. janie 315

  4. amberenergy 299

  5. coca_goes_outside 296

  6. alice2019 273

  7. guentzelr 268

  8. yipinjohnson 239

  9. cmbankester 232

  10. nanetteolivier 196

Most Observations

  1. khashagen 616

  2. janie 555

  3. hemispingus 550

  4. seangolden 518

  5. guentzelr 515

  6. alice2019 484

  7. coca_goes_outside 479

  8. htoyo 477

  9. cmbankester 468

  10. amberenergy 379

Most Identifications

  1. amberenergy 2,177

  2. bill_wimley 1,169

  3. seangolden 841

  4. daniel_observer 724

  5. khashagen 528

  6. teakettle_wren 510

  7. zmartin22 472

  8. drbutner 411

  9. aguilita 371

  10. kpinso 337

Yipin Johnson, #8 for Most Species, and Katrina Hashagen, #1 for Most Species and Most Observations, learn about an invasive Rio Grande Chirping Frog from Bones Glorioso, leader of the Louisiana Amphibians and Reptiles Enthusiasts (L.A.R.E.) group.

Nanette Olivier, #10 for Most Species, takes photos for the City Nature Challenge at Lake Verret while her brother navigates the boat.

Observation Hot Spots

Here are the top 10 public spots that had the most observations logged:

  1. BREC Frenchtown Conservation Area

  2. LSU Hilltop Arboretum

  3. BREC Blackwater Conservation Area

  4. BREC Bluebonnet Swamp

  5. LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens & Burden

  6. BREC Forest Community Park

  7. City Park New Orleans

  8. Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve

  9. BREC Highland Road Park & Observatory

  10. Mary Ann Brown Nature Preserve

Master Naturalists Emily Taylor and Sharon O’Brien taking photos of insects at BREC Frenchtown Conservation Area, the top observation hot spot during the City Nature Challenge 2026.

Baton Rouge Region Observation Quality

Amber King (amberenergy), #1 for Most Identifications, holds a large Diving Beetle during the light night at LSU Hilltop Arboretum. Photo by Allison Gianelloni.

Verifiable Observations
Observations with photo or audio evidence and the organism is wild (meaning not captive or cultivated.)

100%

Perfect score! A 4% improvement over last year! Great job!

Research Grade
Verifiable observations that were able to be identified and can be used for scientific research.

55%

We improved 3% on this statistic and placed #213 in the world. A lower percentage most often means the organism in the photo was blurry.

Global City Nature Challenge Results

The overall worldwide winner for Species is Steiermark, Austria!
San Antonio, Texas took second place!

3,001,825
Observations Made

During the four day challenge

106,354
People Participated

From 62 countries

76,422
Species Documented

Including 5,688 rare, threatened, or endangered species

Global Results Infographic

Thank you to our amazing partners!