8th September 2025

Wildlife Photography Competition 2025

Now closed for judging! Thank you all entrants!

Welcome to the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust’s annual photography competition celebrating the incredible native wildlife that calls Aotearoa – New Zealand home.

First Prize 2024 – NZ Scaup by Martin Barwood

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting out, we want to see your best shots of the amazing native wildlife found in our stunning region. From the smallest native insects to our iconic birds, reptiles and bats, photos of all of species of our native wildlife are welcome!

Entries close 11.59pm Wednesday the 15th of October 2025. Enter your photos via the form below.

Competition Categories:

  1. Native Wildlife – Adult Photographer (18 years and over)
  2. Native Wildlife – Youth Photographer (17 years and under)

View our inspiring 2024 photographs here.

Amazing Prizes Await

We’re thrilled to announce an exciting selection of prizes for our 2025 winners.

Principal Sponsor – True South Flights

  • Fly Cruise Fly experience
True South Scenic Flights

Supporting Sponsors

  • AJ Hackett Bungy – Kawarau bungy experience + Zipride
  • Mercure Resort Queenstown – One night for two in Lake View room with breakfast
  • KJet – KJet and Time Tripper experiences
  • Skyline Queenstown – Gondola and luge rides
  • Golden Fleece Arrowtown – New Zealand specialty goods

A huge thank you to all our sponsors for supporting wildlife conservation in the Whakatipu basin!

AJ Hackett Bungy
KJet
Skyline Queenstown

Competition Rules

By your participating in this competition, you agree to abide by the following Rules.  Please read these rules before submitting your photograph(s) to the competition.

1. Eligibility: The competition is open to anyone residing in New Zealand. There is no age limit. Employees of WWT and members of the Board of Trustees of WWT are not eligible to enter.

2. Photo Ownership: Entrants must be the sole owner of copyright in all photographs entered. The photographs must be your original work, taken by you, the contestant. They must not contain any materials owned or controlled by a third party for which you have not obtained a license, and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, moral rights, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any other person or entity. AI generated content is not permitted.

3. Number of entries: Entry into the competition is limited to a maximum of 4 images per person. If more than 4 are entered, the first 4 images submitted will be judged and the remaining will not be considered.

4. Photo Requirements:

  • All photos submitted must reflect the theme Native Wildlife of Aotearoa. Preference is given to photos that show native wildlife in natural settings. Photos may be in landscape or portrait. Landscape photos are preferred for use in the WWT calendar. Photos may be taken anywhere in New Zealand, though native wildlife that is found in the Otago/Central and Southern Lakes area is preferred.
  • The competition is open for online electronic submissions of photographs only.
  • Photographs must be high resolution, in JPEG format (minimum 3000 pixels) between 2 MB and 10MB.
  • All submitted photographs must contain the original EXIF metadata information. There must be no border(s), logo(s), copyright marks, identifying marks, or any other visible references and/or marks on the photograph.
  • Each entry should be marked with the photographers name, email address and telephone number.
  • The description of the photo must be detailed and appropriate for all audiences.
  • When a photograph is presented, and entry finalised, the entry cannot be changed or edited.
  • You may submit up to four photographs in colour or black and white.     

5. Editing: Photographers may make reasonable use of post production, and using editing software such as Lightroom / Photoshop is allowed. Basic editing, including colour enhancement, the use of filters, and cropping of the image(s) is acceptable, provided any such editing does not affect the authenticity and/or genuineness of the image(s). Advanced editing used to create illusions, deceptions and/or manipulations, and the adding and removing of significant elements within the frame is prohibited. Images found to be AI generated will be disqualified.

6. Photo Usage: You will retain copyright in the photographs you submit. By entering the competition, you grant the Whakatipu Wildlife Trust (WWT), worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty free, sub-licensable right and license to use, publish, reproduce, display, perform, adapt, create derivative works, distribute, have distributed, print, in whole or in part, in any form, in all media forms, to promote the competition, photograph, the photographer or for editorial, educative use or any other purposes of the WWT. This includes a WWT fundraising calendar. Where practicable, the photographer will be credited wherever the photograph is used. No fees are payable for any of the above uses.

7. Winner Announcements: By submitting a photo for entry, the entrant hereby agrees to participate in any publicity related to the Competition. The Winner in the Competition agrees that their identity may be disclosed in winner announcements and promotional material. The Winner also agrees to have their competition photograph used for publicity purposes without any additional payment being made.

8. Photo Winner Notification: The winners will be notified on or after 15th November 2025 using the contact details provided. If after three days the winner cannot be contacted, that winner will forfeit the prize with no right of compensation and the Promoter may select an alternate winner in its sole discretion.

9. Prize Eligibility: The Promoter cannot be held responsible for the winner being unable to redeem the Prize.

10. Liability: Subject to any applicable law which cannot be excluded, the Promoter and their employees are not responsible for any loss or damage whatsoever that is suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) or for personal injury suffered or sustained during the course of accepting or using the prize.

11.  Photographs that portray or otherwise include inappropriate and/or offensive content, violence, breach of human rights and/or any other content contrary to the laws of New Zealand, are strictly prohibited and will be discarded.

12.  Every photograph uploaded is subject to a moderation process to make sure it complies with the rules. WWT reserves the right to assess and disregard any submitted photograph at its sole discretion.

13.  Entrants must not have breached any laws when taking their photographs.

14.  Submissions will not be accepted once the deadline lapses. WWT is not responsible for any technical difficulties, or any lost, late, misdirected, stolen, illegible or incomplete submissions of photographs.

15.  WWT reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition for any reason or alter any of the rules at any stage if deemed necessary in WWT’s opinion, and if circumstances arise outside of its control.

16.  All entries will be judged by a panel appointed by WWT. The results and the winners will be announced on the website.

17.  You agree the decision on the winning entry in each category will be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.

18.  Prizes (if any) will be shipped for free within New Zealand. The Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable, and cannot be redeemed for cash. The judge’s decision is final and binding in all matters, and no correspondence will be entered into.

19.  You agree to indemnify and hold harmless WWT from any claim arising out of your participation in the competition including, without limitation, all claims brought or asserted by any third party as a result of any injury, loss, cost or expense that you or they may sustain in any way associated with your participation in the competition.

20.  The competition and these rules are governed by the laws of New Zealand.

Enter now

This form is currently closed for submissions.

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