Closing date is 23rd March for postal entries and 30th March for those submitted on line.

The competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine and is the most prestigious in the Wildlife photography year.

This year's title sponser is Shell and they have put up the largest prize fund to date, although the prestidge of winning (or even being placed) is far greater than any monetery prize, but with £10,000 for the winner, backed up with a number of £1000 prizes and £500 to each category winner there could well be a few entries who don't crave the fame, but desperately need the money!!

Categories this year include a new One Earth Award and an open Wild Choice category that is "open to fresh new images that you feel don't have a place in other categories".

In total there are 12 adult categories and three special awards from which the winner will be chosen.

As usual, there is a Young Photographer of the Year Award broken into three age groups all under 17 years of age.

For the first time, digital entries will be accepted on-line and the on-line entries attract an extra week to get their images in!

Full details of this years competition can be found here