Deadline: 02-Aug-2026
Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil is a Wikimedia photography competition that invites participants to document Brazil’s protected conservation units through freely licensed images. The contest runs from July 1 to August 2, 2026, and submissions must be original, CC BY-SA 4.0 licensed photographs categorized as Landscapes, Living Beings, or Anthropogenic Impact, with strict rules on ethics, originality, and environmental protection.
What is Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil?
Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil is a national edition of the global Wiki Loves Earth initiative within the Wikimedia movement. It encourages professional and amateur photographers to document Brazil’s natural heritage, biodiversity, ecosystems, and conservation units through open-licensed photography.
The competition strengthens open knowledge, environmental documentation, and scientific communication by making high-quality images freely available for use on Wikipedia, research platforms, and conservation projects.
Organizers and Institutional Partners
The competition is organized in Brazil by the Foto.wiki.br Civil Association in collaboration with:
- Wikimedia Movement
- Wikimedia Foundation
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
These partnerships ensure both open knowledge integrity and scientific relevance in evaluating submissions.
Core Objectives and Semantic Themes
The competition focuses on expanding global access to environmental and scientific visual data.
Key objectives include:
- Documentation of Brazil’s protected conservation units
- Promotion of environmental preservation through photography
- Expansion of free educational and scientific image resources
- Biodiversity documentation (fauna, flora, and funga)
- Recording ecological landscapes and ecosystems
- Capturing anthropogenic environmental impacts
- Supporting scientific dissemination and open data access
- Encouraging ethical wildlife photography practices
- Strengthening conservation awareness and public education
Eligible Locations and Photography Scope
All photographs must be taken inside officially recognized Brazilian Conservation Units.
Eligible subjects include:
- National parks
- Environmental protection areas
- Biological reserves
- Ecological stations
- Other legally protected natural areas in Brazil
Images must represent real environmental conditions and contribute to ecological documentation.
Competition Categories
Submissions must be classified into one of three categories:
Landscapes
Photographs of natural ecosystems, terrain, and scenic environmental formations.
Living Beings (Fauna, Flora, Funga)
Images of wildlife, plants, fungi, and biodiversity elements within conservation areas.
Anthropogenic Impact
Documentation of human environmental impact such as:
- Deforestation
- Pollution
- Wildfires
- Illegal hunting
- Extreme drought effects
- Habitat degradation
These images may contribute to environmental monitoring and may also be evaluated in collaboration with OHCHR due to their relevance to environmental rights documentation.
Eligibility Criteria
The competition is open globally, with inclusive participation rules.
Who can participate
- Amateur photographers
- Professional photographers
- International participants
- Individuals of any age and nationality
Special restriction
- Participants under 18 years old are not eligible for the National Expedition prize component
Account requirements
- Active Wikimedia Commons account required
- Verified email address required for participation
Submission Rules and Timeline
Submission window
- Start: July 1, 2026
- End: August 2, 2026
Platform
- Official contest portal connected to Wikimedia Commons
Key rules
- Photographs must be uploaded during the contest period
- Date of capture does not affect eligibility
- Each participant may submit multiple entries
Licensing and Image Authenticity Requirements
All submissions must comply with strict Wikimedia licensing and originality standards.
Mandatory requirements:
- CC BY-SA 4.0 International license required
- Images must be original work of the participant
- Images must be uploaded exclusively by the creator
- Images must preserve documentary integrity
Permitted edits:
- Exposure correction
- Contrast adjustment
- White balance correction
- Traditional noise reduction
Strictly prohibited:
- Generative AI image creation
- AI-based image synthesis or content alteration
- Manipulation that changes factual content of the scene
Verification rule:
- Participants may be required to submit RAW or original master files
Ineligible Content
The following content is not accepted:
- Photos outside conservation units
- Pet or zoo animal images
- Commercial or cultivated plants
- Selfies or posed portraits
- Images focused on people posing
- Watermarked or signed images
- Previously uploaded Wikimedia Commons files
- Abstract or non-documentary images
Environmental Ethics and Field Rules
Participants must follow strict ecological and wildlife protection ethics.
Prohibited practices:
- Baiting wildlife
- Playback of animal calls for photography
- Disturbing nests or habitats
- Use of invasive proximity techniques
- Unauthorised drone usage
- Artificial lighting on nocturnal animals without approval
Core principle:
Animal welfare and habitat protection always take priority over photography.
How the Competition Works
Step 1: Select a conservation unit in Brazil
Choose an officially recognized protected area.
Step 2: Capture original photographs
Focus on biodiversity, landscapes, or environmental impacts.
Step 3: Categorize your images
Assign each image to:
- Landscapes
- Living Beings
- Anthropogenic Impact
Step 4: Upload during contest period
Submit via the official portal between July 1 and August 2, 2026.
Step 5: Licensing compliance
Apply CC BY-SA 4.0 license during submission.
Step 6: Jury evaluation
A specialist jury reviews all eligible entries.
Judging Criteria
A multidisciplinary jury evaluates submissions based on:
- Visual impact and composition quality
- Scientific and documentary value
- Technical photographic quality
- Contribution to biodiversity documentation
- Relevance for environmental research and conservation
Jury members include:
- Biologists
- Conservation photographers
- Science communicators
Why This Competition Matters
Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil strengthens global environmental documentation systems by:
- Expanding freely accessible biodiversity imagery
- Supporting conservation science and ecological research
- Creating visual records of environmental change
- Promoting ethical wildlife photography
- Improving Wikipedia’s scientific content
- Documenting human impact on ecosystems
- Supporting transparency in environmental monitoring
Key Concepts Explained
Wiki Loves Earth
A global Wikimedia photography initiative that documents protected natural heritage using free-licensed images.
Wikimedia Commons
A free media repository that hosts educational images used across Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects.
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
A Creative Commons license allowing reuse, modification, and redistribution with attribution under the same license.
Conservation Units
Legally protected environmental areas in Brazil designated for biodiversity preservation and ecological research.
Anthropogenic Impact Documentation
Photographic recording of human-induced environmental changes for scientific and educational use.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Uploading outside the official submission window
- Using AI-generated or manipulated imagery
- Photographing outside conservation units
- Including people posing or staged subjects
- Ignoring ethical wildlife photography rules
- Submitting previously uploaded Wikimedia images
- Missing CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing requirement
- Failing to provide RAW file when requested
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil?
It is a Wikimedia photography contest documenting Brazil’s protected natural areas through open-licensed images.
2. When is the submission period?
From July 1 to August 2, 2026.
3. Who can participate?
Anyone worldwide with a Wikimedia Commons account and verified email, regardless of age or nationality.
4. What license is required?
All images must be released under CC BY-SA 4.0 International license.
5. Are AI-generated images allowed?
No. Generative AI and synthetic image creation are strictly prohibited.
6. What are the judging criteria?
Images are evaluated based on technical quality, scientific value, visual impact, and conservation relevance.
7. What happens if wildlife rules are violated?
Ethical violations such as disturbing animals or habitats may result in disqualification.
Conclusion
Wiki Loves Earth 2026 Brazil is a structured open knowledge and conservation photography initiative that transforms nature documentation into a global scientific and educational resource. By combining strict ethical standards, scientific evaluation, and open licensing, the competition strengthens biodiversity preservation, environmental awareness, and the global accessibility of Brazil’s natural heritage imagery.
For more information, visit Wikimedia Commons.
