Get ready to go wild with the camera, the BC SPCA’s eighth annual Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest is open.
“The hundreds of images we receive each year are absolutely stunning. They really showcase the astonishing diversity of wild animals we have in B.C., in urban settings and in isolated locations,” said Dr. Sara Dubois, BC SPCA chief scientific officer.
All amateur photographers 14 and older can enter the competition, which runs to Sept. 30, by submitting their most impressive digital images of B.C.’s wildlife at rest, work and play. This year they added a new category, the People’s Choice Award.
By donating to vote, those who cast a ballot for their favourite images will also help animals in need, Dubois said. The contest supports the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre in Metchosin, where nearly 3,000 orphaned and injured wild animals are cared for each year.
In a testament to the calibre of images, previous entries have been featured in the BC SPCA’s Animal Sense and Bark! magazines, as well as in BC SPCA educational materials, newspapers, websites and social media.
Prizes are awarded for the top three photos in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. All photos must be taken within B.C. and submitted digitally. “Wildlife” includes free-living birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish and insects, but not exotic, feral or domestic animals, or wildlife in zoos or rehabilitation facilities.
“We’re really looking forward to what our province’s photographers will send us this year – they never cease to amaze,” said Dubois.
“Participants always go above and beyond to find striking photo opportunities that represent the resiliency of local wildlife living at the interface with humans.”
Learn more about this year’s contest and view past winners’ images at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus. For more information, email contest@wildarc.com.