Calling all backyard photographers — it’s time to show the world your talent!

The annual BC SPCA Wildlife-In-Focus photography contest is now open and photos submitted by August 15 will be considered for an upcoming book by Vancouver author Nicholas Read. City Critters: Living Wild in the Urban Jungle, from Orca Book Publishers, will be a full colour children's book about the urban wildlife who call North America home. All other photos for the contest can be submitted until September 30. Last year’s Wildlife-In-Focus contest entries are also being considered for publication in City Critters. Prizes will be awarded for the top three photos in each of two categories: Wild Settings and Backyard Habitats. The contest is open to all adult (age 14 years and up) backyard and amateur photographers residing in B.C.

"We were thrilled to have the publisher review our contest photos last year, but to have another opportunity to include even more pictures from B.C.’s backyard and amateur photographers is exciting," says Sara Dubois, manager of wildlife services for the BC SPCA.

Read co-authored The Salmon Bears: Giants of the Great Bear Rainforest and The Sea Wolves: Living Wild in the Great Bear Rainforest with Ian McAllister, both from Orca Book Publishers.

"We're very happy that Nicholas has asked to review this year’s early photo contest entries again," says Dubois. "It's a testament to the calibre of photos that are entered."

The 2011 Wildlife-In-Focus photography contest is a fundraiser for Wild ARC, the BC SPCA's wildlife rehabilitation facility on Vancouver Island. Learn more about this year's contest and see winners from the 2010 contest at spca.bc.ca/wildlife-in-focus.

The annual Wildlife-In-Focus contest encourages participants to explore greenspaces, roadsides, beaches and even backyards to find striking images that represent the resiliency of local wildlife living at the interface with humans. 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.

The Monty Fund for Community Education and Outreach supports education, awareness, and advocacy programs for all animals including our wildlife neighbours. Your gift can help the BC SPCA continue to advocate on behalf of wild and exotic animals, provide educational resources to individuals and various levels of government to create meaningful change. Please donate today.

Photo caption: Jeremy Leete's photo of a fox pup won an honourable mention in the 2010 Wildlife-in-Focus urban wildlife photography contest, Wild Settings category.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.