After taking a hiatus in 2021, our immensely popular Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition is back and bigger than ever. We’re giving away $10,000 in cash prizes, including a grand prize of $5,000 to one individual deserving of the title of Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year! As always, we’re looking for your best shots of wildlife in Canada — big or small, furred or feathered, winged or hoofed. Enter into one of three categories for your chance to win the category prize of $1,000. The Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be selected from among entries to all three categories. 

In addition to our category prizes, this year we’ve added eight fun “honourable mention” prizes for one-of-a-kind shots that highlight different photographic styles and skills or tell a story about wildlife in Canada. These include prizes for outstanding wildlife portraiture, macro photography, smartphone photography and more, so keep them in mind as you’re planning your entries.  

The entry period runs from March 16 until July 31, 2022. Winners will be announced in August 2022, and the winning photos will be published in the November/December 2022 issue of Canadian Geographic magazine. 

Please review our Wildlife Photography Code of Ethics before entering.

Categories/prizes

Things with wings

We’re looking for birds and bees — plus butterflies, bats, bugs and more. If it flies through the air, it belongs in this category. 

Aquatic life

From tide pools to ponds, rivers to oceans, water is teeming with — and essential to — life. We want to see your best shots of fishes and kelp fronds, whales and wading birds. 

Terrestrial life 

From iconic predators like bears and wolves to majestic and elusive ungulates like moose and caribou to common-yet-charismatic mammals like foxes and squirrels, we’re looking for great images of Canada’s diverse land animals — and the habitats they depend on.

Honourable mentions 

Awarded to outstanding images in any category that meet the following criteria.

Wildlife portrait
Awarded to a deserving portrait of a Canadian animal.

Cute wildlife
Awarded to a deserving image that makes our judges go “Awww!”

Comedy wildlife
Awarded to a deserving image that showcases funny animal behaviour.

Macro photography
Awarded to a deserving macro image.

Wildlife in the city
Awarded to a deserving image that tells a compelling story about the relationship between wildlife and the urban environment.

Wildlife in parks
Awarded to a deserving wildlife image captured in a national or provincial park.

Everyday animals
Awarded to a deserving image that creatively captures commonly-seen wildlife.

Phonetography
Awarded to a deserving wildlife image captured with a smartphone.

Enter now