JUNIOR WINNERS OF #GOWILDTHISWINTER COMPETITION

The winner and runner-up of the junior section of our #GoWildThisWinter photography competition have been announced! 

Congratulations to the overall junior winner - 12-year-old Cara C who attends Cargilfield Preparatory School, near Edinburgh. 

Cara's stunning picture of a mother otter was taken during a family walk with her mother and sister at the Mull of Kintyre. 

In her written submission she explains she captured the picture in the early morning light as the mother otter emerged onto the rocks to check on her pup further along the shore.

The picture was described as "very dramatic and alive" by Rosanna Forbes, one of the three judges. "There is wonderful movement and light on both the water and the otter - what a magical moment to capture and well worth the early rise."

Cara wins a bird feeding station or hedgehog house for her school, a Glenalmond goodie bag and a year's membership of the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

This wonderful tree frog photograph, taken by 11-years-old Samay M, is the runner-up in the junior section. Well done to Samay, who attends Kenton school in Kenya and included a short poem with the entry describing why this tree frog species, only found in Africa, is so special.

Our judges, professional wildlife photographer Eric McCabe, amateur wildlife photographer Rosanna Forbes and Karen Chambers, vice-chairman of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, were all very impressed.

"The frog had great impact due to the light colours set against dark with the green vegetation. The flash lighting has been nicely controlled in this lovely composition," said Mr McCabe. Ms Forbes described the photograph as well-framed and stunning and Samay's poem as "colourful and imaginative, like the photograph." Well done Samay - your prize will be winging its way to Nairobi very soon.

The aim of the “Go Wild this Winter” competition was to inspire youngsters, aged five to 18, to get a better understanding of the wildlife around them and encourage them to enjoy being outdoors and away from their screens during the winter months.

Sasha Baldwin, Eco-group Co-ordinator at Glenalmond College, said the school was delighted to have worked with the Scottish Wildlife Trust on the initiative. She said the inspiration for the competition had come from seeing pupils at Glenalmond appreciating the nature around them.

“We know that being outdoors and feeling close to nature is very good for the physical and mental wellbeing of children and whether you are in a city centre or a rural location it is possible for everyone to get closer to wildlife,” said Mrs Baldwin.

“With the restrictions currently in place, many people of all ages are walking more and we hope the competition will encourage them to take the time to really notice and learn about the nature around them,” she added.

This winter’s competition followed on from last year’s initiative which saw Glenalmond College produce a calendar of wildlife photographs taken by Rosanna Forbes which raised funds for the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels.