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24 November 2011
An image of a fearless black-backed jackal running rings around a male lion has today been named the overall winner of the BBC Wildlife Magazine Camera-trap Photo of the Year 2011 competition, in association with the World Land Trust.
The photo, entitled ‘Lion vs Jackal’, by Ken Stratford of the Ongava Research Centre in Namibia, beat hundreds of other entries to emerge as the Overall and Animal Behaviour category winner, securing a prize of £3,000.
Judge Richard Edwards, director of ARKive, said of the winning photo: “Wow! A real David versus Goliath confrontation. This picture wowed the judges because it poses so many questions: what could the jackal be ‘thinking’? Is that a look of ‘surprise’ on the lion’s face? And, of course, what happened next? A truly great piece of animal behaviour.”
Ken Stratford commented: “Waterholes in Ongava Game Reserve are always busy in September. But we never dreamed that our cameras would catch a black-backed jackal attacking a young adult male lion - and in broad daylight. Not only do cat and canine typically frequent waterholes after dark, we have found no previous record of a jackal being so aggressive towards a lion.”
Now in its second year, the BBC Wildlife Magazine Camera-trap Photo of the Year competition searches for the most exciting and revealing camera-trap images being captured by conservationists around the world. The judges give particular weight to the contribution that each image makes to scientific knowledge. The money prizes, courtesy of the international conservation charity World Land Trust and Páramo, are awarded to the winning conservation projects, not the individual photographers.
The other two category winners were a rare photo of a sable antelope at South Africa’s Lajuma Research Centre, an area from which the species has long been absent, by Alessandro Araldi, and a picture of a female Florida panther on the prowl by Roy McBride and Rebecca Sensor of the Florida Panther Synoptic Survey. Each will receive a £1,000 prize.
The winning images are published in the December issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine, on sale 24 November, and you can also enjoy the winners, runners-up and commended images in a gallery on BBC Wildlife Magazine’s website at http://www.discoverwildlife.com/wildlife-nature-photography/galleries.
To find out what happened to the feisty jackal, see the whole encounter here: http://www.discoverwildlife.com/wildlife-nature-photography/galleries
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NOTES TO EDITORS
The BBC Wildlife Magazine Camera-trap Photo of the Year competition launched in 2010 and is made up of three categories: Animal Portraits, Animal Behaviour and New Discoveries.
BBC Wildlife Magazine launched 45 years ago as Animals, and is a celebration of the natural world, featuring all the latest discoveries, news and views on wildlife, conservation and environmental issues. With strong broadcasting links, authoritative journalism and award-winning photography, BBC Wildlife Magazine is essential reading for anyone with a passion for wildlife who wants to understand, experience and enjoy nature more.
BBC Wildlife Magazine has a monthly circulation of 42,257 (ABC Jan-Jun 2011). For further information, visit www.discoverwildlife.com
World Land Trust is an international conservation organisation that raises fund for the purchase and protection of critically threatened tropical forests and other vital wildlife habitats. www.worldlandtrust.org
Páramo Directional Clothing Systems provide exceptional performance and unrivalled comfort outdoors. Innovative fabrics that wick away water and professionally tested designs help photographers and naturalists to stay comfortable outside. www.naturallyparamo.co.uk
Immediate Media Co is a new force in consumer media and publishing, combining businesses formerly known as BBC Magazines, Origin Publishing and Magicalia. With an exciting mix of market-leading brands, great talent and technology expertise, the company combines a strong publishing heritage with digital platforms and entrepreneurial flair. It publishes some of the UK's best-known magazines including Radio Times, Gardeners' World, Good Food, Top Gear, CBeebies, olive, and BBC Wildlife, alongside successful specialist titles including Focus, Perfect Wedding and Junior, as well as leading digital brands such as MadeForMums.com, loveyourhair.com and visordown.com.
With 750 staff in London and Bristol, Immediate Media Co. publishes 34 websites and 50 magazines, with over 1 million subscribers, a brand reach of 11 million UK consumers and revenues of £145m per annum. immediatemedia.co.uk