Whether you have a backyard bird feeder that attracts colourful feathered friends, have some wild furry friends in your neighbourhood, or enjoy rambles that bring you into contact with some of the province’s wildlife, the BC SPCA is asking you to take some pictures and participate in its 12th annual Wildlife-In-Focus photography contest. Amateur photographers 14 years and older can submit their awe-inspiring images of birds and bees, bears and bucks, and any other wildlife they encounter.
“Wildlife-In-Focus is a celebration of the incredible diversity of wild animals who live in B.C.,” says Erin Ryan of the BC SPCA. “Every year we receive amazing entries featuring colourful waxwings, coyotes playing in the snow, majestic bears foraging with their cubs, and other incredible images.”
Prizes will be awarded for the top three photos, as determined by the judges in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. Those who don’t enter photos in the contest can still participate by donating to vote for the People’s Choice Award, with that winner also receiving a prize.
Previous contest entries have been featured in the BC SPCA’s AnimalSense and Bark! Magazines, BC SPCA educational materials, local newspapers, websites, and social media.
The top 12 photos, and the judge’s picks, will also be featured in a pack of greeting cards, which will be available for sale after the contest ends at www.shop.spca.bc.ca. The shop features a wide variety of gifts, including T-shirts, hoodies, and face masks.
“Every pack of cards sold and each photo entry donation goes to support the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre (Wild ARC), which cares for more than 3,000 orphaned and injured wildlife every year,” Ryan says.
In 2019, Wildlife-In-Focus raised $16,852 for food, veterinary care, blankets, and other supplies to support the rehabilitation of wild animals at Wild ARC.
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 enter today at www.spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus. For more information, email contest@wildarc.com.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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