We’re looking for your best pictures of wild animals and the bush. There are prizes to the value of R10 000 to be won and cellphone pics are welcome.

Spend this winter snapping wildlife and you could win a fabulous prize from Hi-Tec or Struik Nature.

There are two categories you can enter in:

Primary School or High School.

Grab your camera or cellphone and start photographing!

TOPICS

Primary School: My favourite animal

High School: Bush moments

HOW TO ENTER

Send your photo(s) to competition@tipafrica.co.za (subject line: Wild Primary School or Wild High School).

• Your entry must include the following information:
•  Your name and contact number
• Name of the picture
• Your postal address
• Name of your school

PRIZES

Primary School

1st place: Hi-Tec hiking boots for kids, Hi-Tec Amazon bag, book hamper from Struik Nature with Newman’s Birds by Colour, Starwise and Okavango. Prize valued at R1 500. 2nd place: Hi-Tec hiking boots for kids and a copy of Larger Illustrated Guide to Wildlife. Prize valued at R750. 3rd place: Hi-Tec hiking boots for kids. Prize valued at R500. 4th to 8th place: Five runners-up will each win a copy of Get Bushwise: On Safari.

High School

1st place: Hi-Tec apparel to the value of R2 500 2nd place: Hi-Tec apparel to the value of R1 500 3rd place: Hi-Tec apparel to the value of R1 000 4th to 8th place: Five runners-up will each win a hamper of compact field guides, valued at R250. The hamper consists of First Field Guide Animal Tracks, Common Birds, Mammals, Snakes & Reptiles and Sharks, Whales & Dolphins.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. This competition is open to school-going children up to and including the age of 18. Children must enter in one of two categories: Primary School or High School. The competition is not open to children of employees of the Wild Card and its publishing company.

2. Only residents of South Africa may enter.

3. All photos must be taken in South Africa. Don’t do anything that may injure or upset an animal, or harm the environment when taking your photograph.

4. Photographs must be in digital format; scans of film entries are acceptable. Photos taken on cellphones also qualify. You may enter as many images as you want.

5. The photograph must not have won a prize in any other competition or have been previously published.

6. By entering you give us permission to publish your picture in print or online.

7. Competition closes 31 July 2012.

Kids events in the school holidays

The kids can still go wild even if you aren’t going away on holiday. Wild and Cape Union Mart have teamed up to bring you exciting events in the school holidays.

These nature talks are specifically aimed at kids and they will love the chance to find out more about wild creatures. If they are feeling brave, they may even handle a scary-looking but harmless spider.

The events are FREE but space is limited so RSVP soonest to secure a place. 

JOHANNESBURG EVENT

Snakes: Get a closer look

Sleek, secretive, slithering … snakes! Reptile expert Warren Schmidt will tell you more about these surprising creatures.

Date: Wednesday 4 July
Time: 11:00 – 12:00

Venue: Cape Union Mart Adventure Centre, Eastgate

RSVP to wildevents@sanparks.org (subject line: Snakes for kids)

CAPE TOWN EVENTS

Birds: Come and meet feathered friends!

Did you know that vultures can spot an object as small as a cooldrink can from 1 000m up? And that the fastest animal on the Earth is also a bird, the peregrine falcon, which has been recorded speeding at an incredible 390km/h. Learn more about birds and meet a collection of feathered friends, both big and small.
Date: Wednesday 4 July
Time: 11:30 – 12:30

Venue: Cape Union Mart Adventure Centre, Canal Walk

RSVP to wildevents@sanparks.org (subject line: Birds)

Climbing day for kids

Don’t tell the kids to stop monkeying about…

Bring them to the Cape Union Mart climbing wall where they can clamber to their heart’s content.

The climbing wall is managed by trained staff members and there are belaying ropes and safety harnesses the kids can use.

Date: Thursday 5 July
Time: 11:00 – 17:00

Venue: Cape Union Mart Adventure Centre, Canal Walk

RSVP to wildevents@sanparks.org (subject line: Climbing)

Tarantulas: Are they really so scary?

Eight-legged pussy cats… that’s what tarantulas are. Large, hairy and pretty scary-looking, these spiders are generally harmless. Kids will love the chance to see the tarantulas up close and if they’re feeling brave, even handling a spider.
Date: Sunday 8 July
Time: 11:30 – 12:30

Venue: Cape Union Mart Adventure Centre, Canal Walk

RSVP to wildevents@sanparks.org (subject line: Tarantulas)