WILD THINGS

WILD CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC PRESENTS THE WINNERS OF ITS ANNUAL CANADIAN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

BIRDS WINNER

Windy Corduroy A northern harrier and a short-eared owl lock talons in a heated battle to win a meal. The two raptors, photographed on B.C.’s Lower Mainland, often share hunting territories, competing for — and sometimes fighting over — prey. In this case, the photographer noted that they ended up dropping their prize.

The Milky Way provides a dramatic backdrop to a sea of sleeping northern gannets. Harbour seals drift along on a massive fragment of ice, seemingly without a care in the world. A snapping turtle seems to challenge the photographer, looking straight into the lens, its gaze unblinking. The winning images of Canadian Geographic’s annual Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year Competition showcase visual storytelling at its best, with the photographic community using the power of the perfect image to highlight the incredible biological diversity of this country. The following 18 images are the best of the best of this year’s competition. The panel of judges comprised: Photographer-in-Residence Daisy Gilardini, freelance photographers Zach Baranowski and Christian Fleury, and Canadian Geographic director, brand and creative, Javier Frutos.

BIRDS RUNNER-UP

Ryan Tidman Thousands of common murre fly above Triangle Island, an important nesting area off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island. Some of the other species found here include Cassin’s auklet, tufted puffins and pelagic cormorants.

BIRDS HONOURABLE MENTION