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PETER DETTLING

Peter A. Dettling, born October 15, 1972, is a Swiss-Canadian nature photographer, painter, filmmaker, and author whose work is dedicated to documenting authentic wildlife and conservation stories. His award-winning images have appeared in leading print media and been exhibited in prestigious institutions such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Dettling’s voice and vision have reached wide audiences through multiple features on national radio, including CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), and on international television platforms such as Animal Planet, where his work has inspired viewers around the world. He is best known for his groundbreaking documentation of wild, free-living wolves.

Over more than two decades of intensive field observation, Dettling has developed a profound understanding of wolf behavior in the wild. Beginning in 2005, and especially between 2007 and 2011, he collaborated with renowned German wolf researcher Günther Bloch to reveal the hidden lives of wolves in Banff National Park, Canada. His fieldwork extended to Jasper National Park (Canada), Yellowstone National Park (USA), and Graubünden (Switzerland), resulting in six books on wolves, either as author or co-author.

 

Between 2013 and 2016, Dettling focused on the first wolf family to reestablish itself in the Calanda region of the Swiss Alps near Chur—an event unprecedented in over 150 years. Supported by organizations such as WWF and Pro Natura, his Calanda work culminated in the 2018 launch of a 52-episode web documentary, “Once Around the Sun with the Calanda Wolves.” His most recent books, Wolfsodyssey (2020) and Wolf Dynasties (2024), continue this exploration of wolves’ resilience and their evolving relationship with human societies.

 

Dettling’s artistry and dedication have been recognized with numerous international awards, including honors from the Windland Smith Rice International Photo Contest, the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival, Teva Mountain Games, Canadian Geographic, and the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His work has also earned distinctions such as Best Book Illustration in Alberta for The Will of the Land (2011) and the regional art prize “Art in Southeastern Switzerland” (2011).