The best wildlife photography in the world is coming to Toronto

Manatees and panthers and tree frogs, oh my! You'll be able to get up close and personal with the world's wildlife like never before this month as the longest-running annual nature photography competition in the world returns to Toronto.

Taking over the Royal Ontario Museum starting Dec. 21, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award is back, showcasing the most poignant, breathtaking, and frequently downright adorable photos taken of the world's fuzzy, scaly and slimy creatures this year.

Founded in 1965, the award, which is is now in entering its 59th season, is staged annually by the Natural History Museum in London, England, before hitting the ROM for a five-month run, where the winning works are displayed in a staggering special exhibition.

Admission to the exhibit costs an extra $9 per person (though gallery members get in free, and can also attend a special early preview), but, for the wildlife lovers and photography fanatics among us, the investment is certainly well worth it.

The awards cover a number of categories, like Animal Portraits, Underwater and Urban Wildlife, to name only a few, so you can expect to see a diverse array of cute critters across a slew of different environments, all taken by some of the most talented photographers in the world.

The last time a Canadian photographers won the grand award was 2012, so maybe this year will be our year — you'll just have to visit the exhibit to find out.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award exhibit runs from Dec. 21 to May 4 in the centre block of the third level of the ROM. You can book tickets to visit through the ROM's website.