Winners of the 2012 Wildlife Photography of the Year Competition

Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Museum of Nature present the winners of the Wildlife Photography of the Year Competition

Photo Club’s most popular photo contest broke with tradition in 2012. With five new categories that focus on relationships in nature, such as the connections between predator and prey, the winning photos in the fifth annual Wildlife Photography of the Year competition capture decisive moments in the natural world. To photographer Mike Beedell, one of the contest’s judges, this means that the photos had to not only portray wildlife but also evoke experiences. That’s important when choosing winning images, says Beedell, because “there are personal elements that draw you into making the decision.” Co-judges Laura Stanley, Canadian Geographic’s photo editor, and Roger Bull, a researcher at the Canadian Museum of Nature, joined Beedell to select these outstanding images.

On the Prowl

WINNER

JUMPING SPIDER & FLY,
MASCOUCHE, QUE.
Alain Fréchette, Mascouche, Que.

RUNNER-UP

NORTH AMERICAN BLACK BEAR & SALMON,
THORNTON CREEK, B.C.
Kevin Mazur, Victoria

RUNNER-UP

RED FOX & SNOWSHOE HARE,
ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK, ONT.
Peter Ferguson, Fonthill, Ont.

HONOURABLE MENTION

COYOTE,
OTTAWA
Michelle Valberg, Ottawa, ON

HONOURABLE MENTION

SHORT-EARED OWL
DELTA, BC
Dan Brodie, Surrey, BC

HONOURABLE MENTION

COYOTE & SNOWSHOE HARE
KANANASKIS, ALBERTA
Shirley Davis, Calgary, AB

What's in the water

WINNER

BLOOD STAR,
NAIKOON PROVINCIAL PARK,
HAIDA GWAII, B.C.
Iain Reid, Vancouver

RUNNER-UP

MOOSE,
MUNCHO LAKE, B.C.
Chris Gale, Fort Nelson, B.C.

RUNNER-UP

AMERICAN BULLFROG,
VANCOUVER
Man-kay Koon, Vancouver

HONOURABLE MENTION

COMMON LOON,
HAVELOCK, ON
Steven Rose, Scarborough, ON

HONOURABLE MENTION

GRIZZLY BEAR
THE KHUTZEYMATEEN GRIZZLY BEAR SANCTUARY
William Bickle, Roslin, Ont.

HONOURABLE MENTION

GRIZZLY BEAR
THE KHUTZEYMATEEN GRIZZLY BEAR SANCTUARY
William Bickle, Roslin, Ont.

Things with wings

WINNER

BLUE JAY,
CHELSEA, QUE.
Monique Lavoie, Chelsea, Que.

RUNNER-UP

TURKEY VULTURE,
NIAGARA ESCARPMENT, ONT.
Roger Leekam, Toronto

RUNNER-UP

HOODED MERGANSER,
SHERBROOKE, QUE.
Serge Chenard, Sherbrooke, Que.

HONOURABLE MENTION

SNOWY OWL,
SAINT ISIDORE, ON
Rick Dobson, Ottawa, ON

HONOURABLE MENTION

KING EIDERS
FLOE EDGE, NEAR ARCTIC BAY, NU
Michelle Valberg, Ottawa, ON

HONOURABLE MENTION

GREAT BLUE HERON
SHARBOT LAKE, ON
Michelle Valberg, Ottawa, ON

From the ground up

WINNER

BULRUSH,
BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALTA.
Victor Liu, Calgary

RUNNER-UP

UNIDENTIFIED SEEDLING,
BRADFORD, ONT.
Manfred Meilinger, Wasaga Beach, Ont.

RUNNER-UP

WESTERN HEMLOCK & SITKA SPRUCE,
JUAN DE FUCA PROVINCIAL PARK, B.C.
Bill Cubitt, Calgary

HONOURABLE MENTION

SPINULOSE WOOD FERN & FALSE LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY,
HAIDA GWAII, BC
Flavien Mabit, Sandpit, BC

HONOURABLE MENTION

SUBALPINE FIR
JASPER NATIONAL PARK, AB
Victor Liu, Calgary

HONOURABLE MENTION

TREMBLING ASPEN
PAPINEAU FOREST, LAVAL, QC
Mircea Costina, Laval, QC

Quirky critters

WINNER

BOHEMIAN WAXWING,
PINCHER CREEK, ALTA.
Jenaya Launstein, Pincher Creek, Alta.

RUNNER-UP

BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG,
GRASSLANDS NATIONAL PARK, SASK.
Herman Muller, White City, Sask.

RUNNER-UP

NORTH AMERICAN BLACK BEAR,
WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK, ALTA.
Jenaya Launstein, Pincher Creek, Alta.

HONOURABLE MENTION

COYOTE,
WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK, AB
Jenaya Launstein, Pincher Creek, AB

HONOURABLE MENTION

RED FOX,
WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK, AB
Jenaya Launstein, Pincher Creek, AB

HONOURABLE MENTION

BUMBLEBEE
TORONTO, ON
Annabel Gravely, Toronto, ON