A common merganser mother cares for her young, occasionally allowing them to take a break riding on her back. One little duckling stands up to test his new wings and melts hearts across B.C.
Colin Franks, a photographer in North Saanich, captured the photo of a family of mergansers and first place in the B.C. SPCA’s 2015 Wildlife-in-Focus Photography Contest in the Wild Settings category.
Contest participants submitted over 600 photos, helping to raise $4,085 for wild animals in need in British Columbia.
“We live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and are surrounded by such a diversity of wild animals throughout the province,” said Dr. Sara Dubois, B.C. SPCA chief scientific officer. “The photos of our local wildlife captured by such a wide range of photographers are absolutely stunning.”
Victoria’s Ross Hooker captured second place in the Wildlife Settings category for his photo of a great horned owl perched on a long Garry oak branch.
First prize winners in both categories will be featured in the B.C. SPCA’s spring 2016 Animal Sense magazine and top three in each category will receive a prize that may include gifts from Kerrisdale Cameras, Vancouver Whale Watch, Vancouver Photowalks, Astrosatchel, LUSH Cosmetics, Starbucks at UBC Tech, or a Wild ARC prize pack.
Visit the B.C. SPCA online at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus to view the incredible photos captured by amateur photographers across British Columbia. The annual contest runs from June through September each year and encourages participants to actively explore green spaces, roadsides, beaches and their own back yards to find striking images of local wildlife living in such close proximity of humans. “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.