A world-renowned photography exhibition is coming to Chester this spring.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcase will be held at a special venue at Chester Zoo from 17th February until 6th April.
Curated and on loan from London’s Natural History Museum, the exhibition will display a collection of 100 previously unseen images that capture the extraordinary beauty, complexity and fragility of nature around the world.
Celebrating its 60th year, the exhibition will offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore the planet’s most captivating wildlife photography – with soundscapes and videos surrounding the images to tell the stories of how they were captured.
Zoo bosses said the powerful images highlighted the connection between people and nature, while also sparking important conversations about how best to protect wildlife.
“What better place to become immersed in this stunning collection than within the grounds of the zoo – where so much vital work to protect species, just like those seen in some of the images, takes plac, said Gemma Wright, a manger at Chester Zoo.
“Each photograph provides an incredible insight into the natural world,” she added.
“From majestic predators on the hunt to stunning compositions, visitors to the zoo will witness powerful stories of survival and the delicate balance of life in our new exhibition space, where we’ve added visual displays and soundscapes around the physical photographs to transport people to the very moment some of images were captured.”
Wildlife Photographer of the Year contains a collection of work by some of the world’s most talented photographers, who go to extraordinary lengths to capture the planet’s wildlife in action.
“Their inspirational feats deserve to be celebrated as they encourage us all to do what we can to help wildlife thrive long into the future,” Ms Wright said.
The exhibition was established in 1965 and this year has seen almost 60,000 entries from 117 countries and territories around the world.
The winning images were chosen for their creativity, originality and technical excellence by an international panel of experts.
Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said: “Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world.
“We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year’s portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale.”
The exhibition is free to zoo visitors, and normal admission fees apply.
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