Louis’s fox cubs scooped the prestigious front cover position by a public vote on Ulster Wildlife’s Facebook page of 12 stunning shortlisted pictures, all donated by local photographers.
Keen wildlife photographer Louis took the winning shot in April this year, whilst out walking in the Rostrevor countryside when he spotted not just two, but five fox cubs.
He said, “It was a complete dream to see five fox cubs playing in the spring sunshine. I quietly kept myself hidden from their view as they were looking into the strong sun and as they were very young, their sight wouldn’t have been very good. So, I just happily snapped away for about 20 minutes watching them relaxing and playing until they disappeared down a hole in the field.”
Louis’s picture sits alongside eleven other stunning local wildlife photographs, all showcasing the beauty of Northern Ireland’s wildlife, including an incredible macro-shot of a red mason bee in a Ballyclare garden and a captivating cygnet on a lake in Ballymena.
Each year, calendar sales help boost funds for Ulster Wildlife’s work to safeguard the future of local wildlife and wild places across Northern Ireland.
Speaking for the charity, Vickie Chambers said, “Proceeds from the calendar sales go directly to helping local wildlife, thanks to print sponsorship by Bombardier. This means buyers will be supporting 18 nature reserves across Northern Ireland, a network of volunteers, as well as conservation projects, which help much loved but under-threat species, such as barn owls and red squirrels.
She added: "Last year, we were able to generate over £4,000 through our calendar sales, thanks to the generosity of local people, which makes a big difference to local wildlife.”
Ulster Wildlife’s 2020 Calendar costs just £4.99 including postage.
