Canadian Winners of International Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition to be featured in exhibition at the ROM

Three Canadians awarded prizes in this year’s WPY competition

Top prize goes to Canadian photographer Don Gutoski of London, Ontario

International exhibition makes its Canadian debut at the ROM on November 21

(TORONTO, October 13, 2015) – The winners of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) competition were announced today at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London, UK, with three Canadians taking top prizes. From more than 42,000 international entries, London, Ontario photographer Don Gutoski was selected as the competition’s overall winner for his image A Tale of Two Foxes. Connor Stefanison, from Vancouver, British Columbia, was awarded the Rising Star Portfolio Award for his selection of six images including A Black Bear Looks In and Raven Strut, while Pincher Creek, Alberta’s Josiah Launstein was selected as a finalist in the 10 Years and Under category for his images Snowy Scene and Goose Attack.  

These winning images are featured in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, presented by Quark Expeditions®, making its Canadian debut at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) on November 21, 2015. Dr. Gutoski, the overall winner, will be at the ROM on January 28, 2016 for a lecture as well as an exclusive WPY tour. The exhibition is on display at the ROM until March 20, 2016.

Now in its 51st year, WPY is the most prestigious wildlife photography contest of its kind. Showcasing the natural world’s most astonishing images, the competition draws entries from around the globe from both amateur and professional photographers. Winning entries are selected by an international panel of judges based on creativity, artistry, and technical complexity.

ROM Members have exclusive access to WPY ahead of its public opening with exclusive preview events on Friday, November 20 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday, November 21 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Exhibition tickets and details are available at www.rom.on.ca/wpy. WPY tickets are available for $7.00 + the price of ROM General Admission. Student and Senior WPY tickets are $5.00 and $3.00 for children aged four to 14 years  (children under 3 years of age are admitted free). 

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About the ROM

The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Opened in 1914, Canada’s largest museum of natural history and world cultures has six million objects in its collections and galleries showcasing art, archaeology and natural science. The ROM is the largest field research institution in the country, and a world leader in research areas from biodiversity, palaeontology, and earth sciences to archaeology, ethnology and visual culture - originating new information towards a global understanding of historical and modern change in culture and environment. For 24-hour information in English and French, please call 416.586.8000 or visit www.rom.on.ca.  Tickets are available at www.rom.on.ca.

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ROM Media Contact
Wendy Vincent, Publicist
wendyv@rom.on.ca  
416.586.5547Presenting Sponsor Quark Expeditions. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London. Media Partner Canadian Geographic.