Don Gutoski of London, Ontario, has been named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015. The emergency doctor’s winning photo, titled “A Tale of Two Foxes,” shows a red fox as it carries off the hide of its recent prey, an Arctic fox.
National Geographic’s Kathy Moran, who was serving on the jury, called the photo, “one of the strongest single storytelling photographs I have ever seen.”
“The immediate impact of this photograph is that it appears as if the red fox is slipping out of its winter coat. What might simply be a straightforward interaction between predator and prey struck the jury as a stark example of climate change, with red foxes encroaching on Arctic fox territory.”
Gutoski took the shot after waiting in -30 c weather for three hours. He mentions in the photo caption that, “in the Canadian tundra, global warming is extending the range of red foxes northwards, where they increasingly cross paths with their smaller relatives, the Arctic fox.”
According to the CBC, the amateur photographer was thrilled at the win.
“This to me has always been the epitome of my hobby and professional photography and to win it all is just beyond my imagination right now.”
The image beat out 42,000 entries, across 18 categories. It will be on display in the National History Museum in London, England until October 16. The exhibit will make its Canadian debut later this year.
