A collection of stunning wildlife images by photographers from across the globe is set to go on show later this week as part of a special exhibition at the National Museum of Rural Life, Kittochside, East Kilbride. On display will be over 80 images by the winners and highly commended entrants in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 competition.

The contest attracted over 32,000 entries from nature photographers of all ages in 82 countries and is widely recognised as the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world. The exhibition includes fabulous underwater shots such as a 70 tonne South right whale off the Auckland Islands and a newborn lemon shark pup close to the Bahamas. Other images include a striking picture of a black-crested macaque on the shore in Indonesia, elegant whooper swans in a snowstorm in eastern China, an angry queen ant in Cambodia and a dramatic aerial clash between white-tailed eagles in Poland.

The exhibition is touring throughout the year, with worldwide destinations including Canada, Brazil, Australia, Greece, Germany and the Netherlands. Duncan Dornan, General Manager at the National Museum of Rural Life, said; ‘We’re delighted to be able to host this prestigious exhibition at the National Museum of Rural Life for the second year in a row. The photographs on show are stunning and demonstrate the beauty and drama of our natural world, as well as the exceptional talent of the photographers involved. We’re confident that this will be another exceptionally popular exhibition with our visitors.’

field facts

National Museum of Rural Life, Kittochside, East Kilbride 9 May-2 Aug. Entry to the exhibition is free with Museum admission. Admission: Adults £5.50, Concession £4.50, Children 12 and under free. The National Museum of Rural Life is open seven days a week 10am-5pm. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine. For more information visit ww.nms.ac.uk