The Royal Ontario Museum Presents 2015 WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Tonight

The most prestigious Nature Photography exhibition in the world, Wildlife Photographer of the Year returns to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) for its third annual stop. The exhibition organized by the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London, makes its Canadian debut at the ROM beginning tonight, November 21, 2015. The exhibition features the 100 stunning nature photographs by the finalists in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest, the largest such competition in the world, attracting 42,000 entries from professional and amateur photographers in 96 different countries. See everything from wrestling komodo dragons, to ethereal egrets to thirsty squirrels!

Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be in the ROM's Level 3, Centre Block. Each image is installed with a custom LED light box frame, creating a dramatic effect, providing visitors with a glimpse of the natural world as they have never seen it. Images cover 11 adult categories, including Black and White, Photojournalism, and Urban Wildlife, four special award categories, and three childrens categories, including 10 Years and Under.

"The ROM has had a tremendous summer with more visitors than ever enjoying Pompeii and Viva México! In November, we're excited to add Wildlife Photographer of Year to this spectacular exhibition line-up. WPYshows the stunning beauty of nature and we hope it inspires visitors to learn more about the organisms with whom we share this planet and the fragile nature of the environments we all inhabit," said Mark Engstrom, ROM Interim Director and CEO.

ROM Members enjoy WPY for free throughout its engagement, and also enjoy exclusive previews on Friday, November 20, 2015 (10:00 am - 6:00 pm) and Saturday, November 21, 2015 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm). ROM Memberships are available at www.rom.on.ca/members, or by calling 416.586.5700.

WPY opens to the public on November 21, 2015 at 12:00 pm, and is displayed until March 20, 2016. Ticket information is available at www.rom.on.ca.

WPY tickets are available for $7.00 plus the price of ROM General Admission. Student and Senior WPY tickets are $5.00, and tickets for children aged four to 14 years are $3.00 (children under 3 years of age are free).

ROM Wildlife Photographer of the Year Programming

November 20, 2015 ROM Friday Night Live, Lights!

7:00 - 11:00 pm

Eat, drink, snap, and dance the night away. Be among the first to enjoy #ROMWPY, as well as musical performances and conversations with expert photographers.

November 21, 2015 2015 Annual Quimby F. Hess Lecture
Rap Battles and Pop: Discovering the Secret Sounds of Insects

1:30 - 2:30 pm

Free with ROM Admission; Eaton Theatre

Join Dr. Jayne Yack, Associate Professor and Graduate Chair at CarletonUniversity for a talk on the complex and fascinating acoustic landscape of insects and other invertebrates. Presented in partnership with the Toronto Entomological Association.

November 22, 2015 Interactive Workshop: Telling Environmental Stories with YOUR Pictures

10:30 am - 3:30 pm

$80 public/$72 members

Explore the power of nature photography and how images can influence policy and people. Lead by professional photographers Vincent Luk and Deirdre Leowinata who have recently returned from a ROM expedition to Sri Lanka with Assistant Curator Burton Lim, this adult course takes your backyard nature pics to the next level. Includes guided visit to WPY exhibit and lunch.

January 26, 2016 ROM Speaks: Under the Sea: Celebrating Photography Beneath the Waves

Eaton Theatre, 7:00 pm

$20 public /$18 members

Join acclaimed National Geographic photographer David Doubilet, and marine biologist Jennifer Hayes for an experiential evening of story-telling and phenomenal underwater marine photography. Doubilet has published over 70 articles in National Geographic and Hayes is a marine biologist with expertise in sharks and seals.