Exhibition for wildlife lovers

Safie Al Khaffaf's Wildlife Photographer of the year 2008.

The 44th annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition will be unveiled at London's Natural History Museum in October and you can buy your tickets to the event now.

Tickets go on sale early because of the huge popularity of the exhibition and you can buy them now, in person at the Natural History Museum in London, or you can buy them online from the 18th August.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition spokesperson Heather Clark-Charrington said: "Over 44 years, this has grown to become the world's most prestigious wildlife photography competition. We are not only attracting record entries, but also huge audiences. People come to see the world's best wildlife photographs, but they also gain new insights. Many of the images will challenge viewers to think about our natural world in different ways, which is central to the Museum's mission."

The exhibition will showcase the category winning, runner-up and commended photographs, and will tour regionally and internationally after its London debut. Last year the event attracted 134,000 visitors and the doors will open this year from the 31st October.

Chair of the judging panel Mark Carwardine said: "The judges spend weeks in a darkened room, looking at thousands of beautiful images, but the final exhibition photographs have a creativity, originality and sheer drama that set them apart. The competition plays an increasingly crucial role in raising the profile of wildlife photography and generating awareness of conservation. Nothing speaks louder than an evocative photograph that stirs the imagination, tugs at the heart strings and engages the mind."

For further details about the competition and the various categories, see www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine.