A local photographer is being recognized as Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year by one of the country’s most respected wildlife and natural history publications.

Canadian Geographic says the work of David Sturge of Paradise “stood out” among all of the 10,000 entries received for its 2026 Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition.

Sturge, who grew up in Labrador City, has begun a two-year term as an Emerging Photographer-in-Residence with Canadian Geographic.

The publication says Sturge spent “hours” crawling under fishing stages, finding crab, snails, and fish to capture on camera.

Sturge describes his photographic adventures as “an ecological Disneyland.” He says he wants to use his photography to raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and to document how the natural world is changing due to climate change.

The competition’s winning images will be published in Canadian Geographic’s November/December issue – available on newsstands in mid-October.