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Photographers go wild for contest

The B.C. SPCA’s seventh annual Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest is now open for entries
2012.Dec.18-Hyde-Barn Swallows-02
This photo of a choir of baby barn swallows by Erika Hyde was one of the winners in a previous B.C. SPCA Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest. Amateur photographers have until Sept. 30 to get their entry in for this year’s contest.

Is your camera ready? The B.C. SPCA’s seventh annual Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest is now open for entries. The goal is to capture the best of British Columbia’s wildlife through the lens, whether the subjects are in your own backyard or in the vast natural wilderness of the province. All amateur photographers can enter the competition, which runs until Sept. 30, by submitting their most impressive digital images.

“We are constantly amazed at the mind-blowing photos we receive – they really showcase the astonishing diversity of animals we have throughout B.C., in both urban settings and isolated locations,” said B.C. SPCA chief scientific officer Sara Dubois.

“From hummingbirds captured mid-flight in a garden ornament’s reflection to a momma grizzly bear and her cubs crossing a river, the images are stunning and really make it tough for judges to choose the winning photos.”

The contest supports the B.C. SCPA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) on southern Vancouver Island, where more than 2,500 orphaned and injured wild animals are cared for each year.

Photos entered in previous contests have been featured in the B.C. SPCA’s Animal Sense and Bark! magazines, as well as in B.C. SPCA educational materials, local newspapers, websites and social media – a testament to the calibre of the photos that are entered.

Prizes are awarded for the top three photos in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. The competition is open to all amateur photographers aged 14 and up. All photos of wildlife entered must be taken within the province 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. Learn more about this year’s contest and view past winners’ images at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.

“The contest encourages participants to explore green spaces, roadsides, mountain passes, beaches and backyards to find striking photo opportunities that represent the resiliency of local wildlife living at the interface with humans,” said Dubois.

Photographers can even find inspiration online, with the live-streaming Wild ARC Critter Cam, which features wild patients in the facility 24/7, at spca.bc.ca/crittercam.

 

For more information, email contest@wildarc.com.