‘Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever’: Photography exhibition to celebrate wildlife

A Lantern Bug pictured in Borneo. Picture: David Bebber (Image: Archant)

These amazing images are among a showcase of photographic masterpieces that are on display in the city this week.

David Bebber, who worked at the Times for 10 years as a contract photographer, is holding a wildlife photography exhibition at The Forum.

Field Project Officer Tran Dang Hieu from Viet Nature looks out over a village close to the Khe Nuoc Trong forest. Picture: David Bebber (Image: David Bebber)

Called Protecting the Future - Conservation in Action, the exhibition will focus on the work done by Halesworth-based World Land Trust (WLT) and its overseas partner organisations in protecting threatened habitats and wildlife around the world.

Mr Bebber, who previously worked at Reuters, said: "I would never consider myself a wildlife photographer, but I have a really keen interest in the natural world and protecting it, so I was really pleased to help promote their work."

Forest Rangers pause for a break whilst building a temporary shelter in the Khe Nuoc Trong Forest in Vietnam. Picture: David Bebber (Image: David Bebber)

He was "very proud" to become an ambassador for WLT after visiting their trust sites across the world on various Time's assignments with then chief sports writer Simon Barnes.

Mr Bebber added: "I could see that their work was really effective in helping to conserve habitats and I was really pleased to help spread the word about them through my photos."

Mr Ho Van Vy, Head of Xa Bai village walks through an area still affected by Agent Orange dropped by the U.S during the Vietnam War. Picture: David Bebber (Image: David Bebber)

"Sometimes I think it's the most important work you can do. The work of the Trust is vitally important and you really do see the rare habitats are being lost due to the expanding human population, which is really sad. Once these areas are gone, they are gone forever, and that's what the World Land Trust is trying to protect."

Alongside wildlife, the pictures will also show snapshots of the work undertaken by WLT on the ground.

Mr Bebber said: "It's amazing to see the wildlife and go to areas that, for the most part, are untouched and left as nature intended. But it's not all just about the wildlife, it's also a real privilege to meet the field officers and rangers who work in these places and are so in tune with their environments. They have so much knowledge and see things that you would never pick up on."

The exhibition continues until tomorrow, open daily from 10am to 4pm.