Wild beauties

For the first time, Beijingers can feast their eyes on the prize-winning works of the British Wildlife Photography Awards, the world's most prestigious wildlife photography competition, at Beijing Zoo.

Founded in 1964, the awards are considered the "Oscars" for wildlife photographers, and attract a number of works from professionals and amateurs from around the world every year.

These photographic works were exhibited exclusively in England before 1987, before being extended to 35 countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Australia and the United States.

Co-sponsored by BBC Wildlife Magazine and the Natural History Museum of the United Kingdom, the annual awards ceremony is held in October in London.

More than 32,000 works from 82 countries were entered in the competition last year, of which less than 100 made the final cut in such categories as Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Animals in Their Environment and Animal Behavior.

Of them, 67-year-old amateur photographer Zhu Yongkang from China, took the first place in the Animals in Their Environment category, with his work Snow Swan. The picture, which captures a bevy of white swans about to take flight, heading south for the winter, won high praise from the judges.

Zhu is the second Chinese to win the top prize in this category, after Xi Zhinong, a renowned Chinese wildlife photographer, who won in 2001.

The Snow Swan was taken in Rongcheng of Shandong province in winter. Zhu waited more than six hours in biting cold for the right moment to click the shutter.

"I like photography and wild animals. I do hope our photographs will help raise awareness about environmental and wildlife protection," says Zhu.

7:30 am-6 pm, until Oct 31. Zoology Museum of Beijing Zoo, 137 Xiwai Dajie, Haidian district. 6831-5131, 6839-0595

北京动物园科普馆, 西外大街137号

Story and photo by He Na