2026 CALENDAR CONTEST

The Virginia Zoo wants to see your best Zoo photography in a contest for the annual calendar. The Zoo Calendar features 12 images from local and regional photographers, and each winning photo will be featured on one month of the calendar. One of the 12 winning photos will also be chosen to feature on the cover.

PLEASE READ ALL RULES BEFORE ENTERING

ELIGIBILITY
Multiple entries are permitted, but no more than 4 photos allowed in total. Photos submitted must be your own.

SUBMISSION WINDOW

Submissions will be accepted from Monday, March 3, 2025 until Monday, June 30, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. Any submissions outside of this window will not be considered. Please ensure your camera’s clock system is set to the correct date and time, and keep the original metadata attached to your photo submission. We will use it to verify when the photo was taken.

WHAT TO ENTER

Digital photography that depicts current Virginia Zoo animals and gardens. Please no photos with humans in them. Photos MUST be in landscape orientation, not portrait orientation. The Virginia Zoo reserves the right to edit or crop your photos into a 3×4 aspect ratio to fit the calendar.

All photos submitted must have been taken between July 2024 and June 2025.

RULES

• Please submit files no larger than 30MB in .jpg or .png format.
• High resolution files of at least 240 dpi/ppi will be requested should your entry be selected.
• Photo files MUST be labeled in the following format: ANIMAL_YourFirstNameLastName.jpg.
  • For example: CHEETAH_JaneDoe

The following submissions are INELIGIBLE:

• Photos containing animals not currently on exhibit at the Virginia Zoo (elephants, seals, gorillas, wild birds, etc.).
• Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright.
• Photos that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content.
• Photos that depict putting any individual or animal in danger.
• Any hardcopy photos mailed to the Virginia Zoo. All submissions must be made digitally via the Zoo’s website.
• Please no photos with humans in them.

The Virginia Zoo shall determine entry eligibility in its sole and absolute discretion.

Winning artists will be contacted upon selection and published in the 2026 Virginia Zoo calendar. The cover photo winner will be awarded a free Two Adult Household Virginia Zoo Membership. All winners will also receive one Virginia Zoo calendar, which will be mailed in November 2025; additional calendars will be available for purchase in the Zoo’s Gift Shop.