A Cranbrook photographer has earned provincial recognition for capturing the beauty of wildlife in its natural habitat.
Martin Ross placed second in the Wild Settings category of the B.C. SPCA’s 18th annual Wildlife-in-Focus photography contest for his photograph of sea otters.
The winners were announced Oct. 9, with more than 450 photographs submitted by amateur photographers from across British Columbia.
The annual contest features two categories: Backyard Habitats, highlighting wildlife in residential areas, and Wild Settings, showcasing animals in their natural environments.
Ross finished behind Kelowna photographer Alan Milnes, who took first place for his photograph of a killer whale. Cian Cain of Peachland placed third with an image of a white-crowned sparrow.
In the Backyard Habitats category, Heather Rolling of Fort St. John claimed first place with a photograph of a fox, followed by Peter Cortes of Victoria for bald eagles and Sam Gorick of Mill Bay for raccoons.
Kim Edwards of West Kelowna received the People’s Choice Award for a photograph of a great horned owl.
The contest also raised more than $9,400 to support the B.C. SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre, which cares for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife.
“More than 450 photos were submitted celebrating B.C.’s diverse wildlife and supporting our advocacy for wild animals,” said Hailey Boehner, the B.C. SPCA’s wild animal welfare specialist.
“Our team thanks all the participants for sharing their amazing photos of B.C.’s incredible wildlife and helping to raise over $9,400 to help the BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre care for injured, sick and orphaned wild animals.”
The winning photographs will be featured on a limited-edition Wildlife-in-Focus trail mug, while selected images and honourable mentions will appear on a new collection of wildlife greeting cards.
The photographs can be viewed on the Wildlife-in-Focus contest website.
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