There’s a story behind every photograph, so imagine the lessons learned from the traveling Coastal Bend Wildlife Photo Exhibit which features 159 award-winning museum quality photos. The exhibit showcases 22 different classifications of birds, and numerous classes of native mammals, insects, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians and landscapes of the Coastal Bend.

The Wildlife Photo Exhibit is on display at Coastal Bend College – Beeville Campus in the Grady C. Hogue Learning Resource Center (Library). It is open to the public during regular operating hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays; and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. The show will run until Jan. 30.

The traveling exhibit is funded in part by the City of Corpus Christi Arts and Cultural Commission and credits our proud sponsors from the 2007 Photo Contest. The exhibit travels throughout 14 counties of the Coastal Bend. To date, it has visited more than 100 venues including libraries, museums, banks, schools, art centers and the airport. By the end of its two year tour, the photos will be seen and appreciated by over 100,000 people spreading public awareness about wildlife conservation. In addition to our photo contest and exhibit, we educate the community using our wildlife photo books --Wildlife in Focus, and our school environmental education program, Kritters 4 Kids.

How do we get such phenomenal Photos?

Known as one of the Richest Wildlife Photo Contest in the world, we pride ourselves on having one of the most unique and innovative programs in the state. First, we raise $90,000 dollars in prize money to recruit top nature photographers from around the world as well as provide an economic incentive to landowners. We then team the photographers up with Texas Coastal Bend Ranchers. The teams are given five months to photograph. Three world-renowned judges select 159 winning photos out of more than 4,300 digital images submitted in the contest. Winning photographers and landowners share the prize money equally. In Texas, 94 percent of land is privately owned, therefore it is that partnership that makes the photographs possible. Many times it isn’t until the landowner sees his or her land through the lens of a photographer that they truly understand and appreciate their land and role they play in protecting it.

For more information contact Rhonda Camp at (361) 881-9316.