Experience the Wild Wonders of Europe in stunning photographs
Wild Wonders of Europe is the world's biggest nature photography conservation project ever. Sixty-nine top nature photographers were sent on 125 assignments to 48 countries, visiting nature reserves, national parks and as yet unprotected areas, documenting more than 1000 animal and plant species, such as the White-Tailed Sea Eagle catching mackerel pictured above, taken by Staffan Widstrand. The indoor and outdoor exhibitions resulting from this feast of photography is touring Europe and some of the best images have been compiled into a beautiful book, which is a prize in Earth Times' first competition.
The objective of the project is to celebrate Europe's biological diversity, the joy of wildness, and to document the wildlife comeback and the success of nature conservation, whilst highlighting the areas and animals that are at risk. Europe has amazing scenery and is home to many astonishing animals and gorgeous plants. It has the world's largest system of nature reserves, Natura 2000.
Dedicated conservation work over recent years has brought on a wildlife comeback, including species that were threatened have grown in numbers and also species that were extinct in certain countries have been reintroduced, such as beavers in the UK - which were all killed for their fur in the Middle Ages. There is even a project to reintroduce wolves to Scotland, although that is controversial - some farmers are strongly opposed to it.
After more than 1100 days in the field Wild Wonders of Europe has created an archive of almost 200,000 breathtaking images and hours of high-quality video footage. This is the most up-to-date, cohesive visual documentation of nature in Europe. The central message of the project is that conservation works. All over Europe people are restoring and guarding their native species and watching out for threats to endangered ones.
Amateur photographers and budding professionals are invited to submit to the Wild Wonders monthly Photo Competition on their website which the public votes on the best images, with lots of photographic equipment prizes, and the Grand prize is a wildlife photography assignment to shoot a wild wonder in a very wild destination in Europe.
For over a year, 69 of the world's best nature photographers travelled to all corners of Europe's 48 countries to unveil the incredibly rich and amazingly varied natural heritage of this continent.
From the polar bears of arctic Svalbard to the sea turtles of the Mediterranean, from the wild bison of Poland to the snow-covered glaciers of the Caucasus - for the first time ever, the wild beauty of Europe 's landscapes and the immense diversity of its wildlife is being shown to the world."
The photographs on this page and other images from the Wild Wonders project are professionally licensed by: NaturePl
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