Last week to enter BCSPCA Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest
By Contributor
Foxes, eagles and bears – oh my! These are just some of the stunning animals spotted in the BC SPCA’s eighth annual Wildlife-In-Focus Photography Contest, which is only open for entries until Friday (September 30).
Featuring a new platform and a brand-new look, photographers are going wild to capture the best of British Columbia’s wildlife through the lens. But you don’t have to be a photographer to support them – with the introduction of a new People’s Choice Award, you can cast your ballot by donating to vote. The leaderboard is changing every day! Vote for your favourite photos to give them a leg up in the competition.
“The contest encourages participants to really explore our beautiful province and find photos that showcase the astonishing diversity of animals we have, and photos that represent the resiliency of local wildlife living at the interface with humans,” says BC SPCA chief scientific officer Dr. Sara Dubois.
The contest supports the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC) on Vancouver Island, where nearly 3,000 orphaned and injured wild animals are cared for each year. Photos entered in previous contests have been featured in the BC SPCA’s Animal Sense and Bark.
Magazines, as well as in BC SPCA educational materials, local newspapers, websites and social media – a testament to the caliber of the images that are entered.
Prizes are awarded for the top three photos in each of two judged categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. All amateur photographers at least 14 years of age are invited to enter the competition, which runs from July 1 to Sept. 30, by submitting their most impressive digital images of B.C.’s wildlife at rest, work and play.
“We are always impressed at the amazing photos we receive – it certainly makes it hard for the judges to choose the winning photos,” Dubois says.
“We’re also very excited that with the People’s Choice Award, friends, family, and members of the public can all support their favourite photos, while helping wildlife.”
All photos of wildlife entered 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. Learn more about this year’s contest and view past winners’ images at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.
Photographers can also find inspiration online, with the 24/7 live-streaming Wild ARC Critter Cam, which features wild patients.
For more information, email contest@wildarc.com.
