A photo of a raccoon climbing out of a trash can with a hot dog wins B.C. SPCA award
The number of submissions to the annual B.C. SPCA photo contest doubled in 2021, partly because of COVID-19, organizers say.
Almost 2,100 photos were submitted in the 13th annual Wildlife-in-Focus photography contest, which is double the number received during any other year. Organizers told CTV News that it’s partly because people stayed close to home this year.
“People haven’t been able to travel much this year and last,” said Erin Ryan, B.C. SPCA research communications and photo contest organizer. “So people are taking more local trips and more local pictures.”
She says the quality of the photos that were sent in from across the province was also better this year.
The two categories decided by volunteer judges were "backyard habits" and "wild settings."
The winner of the backyard category was a raccoon climbing out of a trash bin with a hot dog in its mouth near a concession stand in Vancouver's Stanley Park.
The SPCA is using the picture, taken by Vancouver resident Christiane Cottin in May, to educate.
“We got permission from Christiane, even before the winning photo was announced, to use her image 'Trash Raccoon' to help promote a wildlife education podcast about not feeding wildlife,” said Ryan.
A photo of a female common merganser out for a morning feed in June with its ducklings on Alta Lake in Whistler was the winner of the wild settings category. It was taken by Whistler resident Steve Burgess.
The photo of a female common merganser bird out for a feed with her ducklings on Alta Lake in Whistler that won the "wild settings" category in the B.C. SPCA Wildlife-in-Focus photography contest. (Steve Burgess)
A third “people’s choice” category was used as a fundraiser, with every vote costing $1. This year, more than $34,000 was raised to help the B.C. SPCA's Wild ARC rehabilitation centre care for injured and orphaned local wildlife.
Voters chose a picture of a pair of coyotes by Vancouver resident Colin Beadle as their favourite.
“The money is invaluable to promote the work we do,” added Ryan. “We don’t have the budget to hire photographers.”
The photo of two coyotes which won the "people's choice" award in the B.C. SPCA Wildlife-in-Focus Photography contest (Colin Beadle)
The 2021 winning photos, chosen by the judges, as well as the 25 most popular images chosen by the voters, will be featured in a photo book that will be sold by the B.C. SPCA. All the winning images, taken by amateur photographers across the province, can be found on the society's website.
The 2022 contest opens in July.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The world is too messy for bureaucratic hurdles': Canada still bars Afghanistan aid
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as possible Rafah offensive looms
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a possible Israeli ground offensive into the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Russia renews attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector as Kyiv launches drones at southern Russia
Russia launched a barrage of missiles against Ukraine overnight, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russia said its air defense systems had intercepted more than 60 Ukrainian drones over the southern Krasnodar region.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs files motion to dismiss some claims in a sexual assault lawsuit
Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs pushed back against a woman's lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault, filing a motion on Friday to dismiss some claims that were not under law when the alleged incident occurred.