One of the world's biggest and most prestigious photographic competitions is now in its 40th year. Last week, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition announced its annual winner, CCTV reported Wednesday.

Since 1964, the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has grown in size and stature to become a key date on the photographers' calendar. This year, the competition received over 18,000 entries from 50 countries and regions in eleven different categories -- all trying to catch rare and often fleeting images of the natural world on film.

This year's grand prize winner is Doug Perrine's "Bronze Whaler Sharks Charging a Baitball".

British photographer Pete Atkinson won the Innovation category with his underwater-overwater photograph of a gray reef shark.

A name to watch out for in future is seventeen-year-old American Gabby Salazar, whose portrait of a green Anole lizard won her the category for 15-17 year olds.

Winners in each category will share the prize fund, and get to see their work published in this year's volume of winning photographs.

Meanwhile, judges say they're already looking forward to receiving entries for next year's competition.

(CCTV.com October 28, 2004)