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Wildlife photographer brings numbats to global audience with international prize

Campbell WilliamsonNarrogin Observer
One of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
Camera IconOne of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.

A Narrogin wildlife photographer has brought WA’s numbats to a global audience after her work won an international award.

Lynette Alcock submitted 10 photos to the Wildlife Vets International Wildlife Photography Competition three months ago after a bit of encouragement from her daughter.

Alcock, who moved to Narrogin 11 years ago, has taken thousands of photos of numbats since she first saw the tiny marsupial around 2005.

Last week she won the discretionary award for four of her photographs.

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Event organisers give the award to a submission that touched hearts and taught them something new.

The organisers said Alcock’s photos had introduced them to the “amazingly cute marsupials” and their fight for survival. “The more I saw, the more I photographed, the more enamoured I became by them,” Alcock said.

“The aim of entering the competition was not to win awards but it was to make people more aware of our WA numbats.”

Numbats — WA’s animal emblem — were once spread over much of southern Australia, extending from the west coast to NSW. But by the late 1970s, there were only two populations remaining in Dryandra and at Perup Nature Reserve near Manjimup.

While she was “rapt” to win the award, Alcock said her main hope was that it would bring more attention to the plight of the numbat.

“I just couldn’t be happier, and hopefully it will get more people wanting to see them, which adds to the coffers of the Lions Village,” she said.

One of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
Camera IconOne of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition. Credit: Picture: Lynette Alcock
One of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
Camera IconOne of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
One of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
Camera IconOne of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
One of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition.
Camera IconOne of the four photos that won Lynette Alcock the discretionary award at the Wildlife Vets International’s Wildlife Photography Competition. Credit: Picture: Lynette Alcock
Overall Winner & Winner of Mammals: Speed Kills, Sridhar Sivaram.
Camera IconOverall Winner & Winner of Mammals: Speed Kills, Sridhar Sivaram.

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