A COLLECTION of stunning wildlife photographs by lifelong naturalist, broadcaster and author Chris Packham is on display at Moors Valley Country Park until 28 August.

Chris, who lives on the edge of the New Forest, is familiar to four million viewers across the UK as the new presenter of BBC’s Springwatch.

He knows local fauna like the back of his hand, but he’s also an authority on all kinds of wildlife worldwide.

The herpetologist, who pressured his parents to bring him on holiday to Bournemouth as a lad (so he could hunt for snakes in the Gardens), spread his wings and has travelled widely. He’s explored many habitats from Antarctic islands, rainforests, deserts, the Everest range, and the deep oceans.

It’s these adventures which have afforded him the opportunity to capture some amazing images on camera – portraying the simple yet stunning beauty of the natural world.

Back in the 1980s, with very little photographic experience, he sold his punk rock guitar and bought a camera and one telephoto lens. His mission was to try to infuse the world of wildlife photography with a little more artistic content.

He believed that many photographers were obsessed with pin-sharp photos which portrayed little emotion or imagination.

Despite enjoying notable success with his photography, including winning international competitions, Chris is his own fiercest critic.

“All photographers should be over-critical of their own work in the pursuit of capturing a photo which is both personal and original to them, and which reflects something entirely new about the subject,” he said.

His experience has earned him invitations to judge photography competitions such as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the RSPCA’s Young Wildlife Photographer competition and the BBC’s Countryfile photographic competition.

Now’s your chance to see the creativity of the man himself. Around 20 large images on canvas will sit alongside a selection of some smaller mounts at the country park near Ringwood.

Of the African Elephants at Sunset he said: “I had imagined this image months before I knelt in the water waiting for the party of Elephants to make a nice pattern. I had two and a half days and only one sunset to get a result. The pressure was intense, so much so that any perception of danger was entirely absent.”

Closer to home he captured a fox sleeping in the snow: “For me foxes hold a torch to a tiger,” he said.

“They are stunningly beautiful animals and that was all I wanted to portray in this picture.

“I liked the mess of curves made by the ears, tail and limbs but of course it was the snowflakes dusting the coat which was most important.”

He also has praise for another, rarer native – the red squirrel.

“Few of our wild animals excites quite such nationalism,” he said.

“It’s almost up there with Spitfires and Geoff Hurst. It’s got Ms Potter and the Tufty Club as allies and an American invader as a nemesis . . . you couldn’t make it up.”

Katie Davies, Countryside Interpretation Ranger at Moors Valley said: “We’ve been really looking forward to hosting Chris’s wildlife photography exhibition.

“Anyone who has seen Chris on Springwatch will be aware of his affinity with the natural world.

“We want to encourage more people to get out and about and enjoy our local countryside and we know our visitors are going to be really inspired by his work.”

Unlike many of the major photography exhibitions that take place at Moors Valley, Chris Packham’s images are for sale and may be bought and taken home the same day for as little as £20 up to around £170.

The exhibition is open every day from 9am – 5pm. There is no entrance fee but parking charges do apply.