As you’re out and about in July — either in the great outdoors or your own backyard — keep your eyes open for wildlife and have a camera handy.
The BC SPCA is inviting all amateur photographers aged 14 and older to take part in its 14th annual Wildlife-in-Focus photography contest. If you have fun, awe-inspiring, or unique photographs of any of B.C.’s amazing wildlife, you can enter them in the contest before the closing date of July 26. You can enter as many times as you like and there is no entry fee.
From birds, bears, and badgers to raccoons and rattlesnakes — and everything in between — the BC SPCA is looking for your best shots. Prizes will be awarded for the top three photos, as determined by the judges, in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats.
“Wildlife-in-Focus is a celebration of the incredible diversity of wild animals who live in B.C.,” says BC SPCA wild animal welfare specialist Erin Ryan. “Last year we received more than 1,000 entries featuring our province’s most beautiful and fascinating wild animals.”
Previous contest entries have been featured in the BC SPCA’s Animal Sense and Bark! magazines, BC SPCA educational materials, local newspapers, websites, and social media.
There is also a donate-to-vote option for a People’s Choice Award, and the 13 photos with the most votes will be featured in a limited edition Wildlife-in-Focus desktop calendar. The judge’s top picks will also be featured in an exclusive puzzle, and both items will be available for purchase on www.shop.spca.bc.ca after the contest closes.
In 2021, the Wildlife-In-Focus contest raised more than $34,000 for the specialized diets, treatments, blankets, and other supplies needed to support the rehabilitation of wild animals at BC SPCA’s Wild ARC, where more than 3,000 injured and orphaned wild animals are cared for each year.
All photos of wildlife entered must be taken within British Columbia and submitted digitally. “Wildlife” includes free-living birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects, but not exotic, feral, or domestic animals, or any wildlife that is in zoos, aquariums, or rehabilitation facilities.
For contest details, visit www.spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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