A picture taken by renowned local photographer Dennis Fast is being featured on a Canadian stamp. 

Photo credit: Canada Post and Dennis Fast

Canada Post recently released the newest stamps which feature five animals that change colour in winter as a form of camouflage.

Fast says his stamp has a photo of an Arctic Fox on it that he took a few years ago at Seal River Lodge near Churchill. He notes he didn't even submit the photo himself.

"It was kind of a really nice surprise. It so happens that I have a very good friend who doesn't shoot wildlife but he has a little agency for his friends and so I keep sending wildlife pictures to him and he is the one who submitted it unbeknownst to me and here I am."

Fast says he found out that his photo would be used back in 2019 and he's had to keep that secret until now.

"I found out two years ago but it has to be top secret until they announce it and it takes about two years they say from start to finish with all of the stamps they are constantly planning."

Fast says arctic fox populations fluctuate year to year depending on lemming populations, weather conditions, and a number of other factors. He notes the year he took this particular photo was a very good year for arctic foxes and they would see 30 or sometimes even 50 foxes hanging around the camp every day. He notes that’s when he captured the photo used by Canada Post.

"The foxes are very inquisitive when you go out on the bay or anywhere near it. Especially when you get down a little low, they just kind of slowly approach and they are not too afraid of the camera at that point so this guy was just peering low to see what I was about and the inquisitiveness was captured by me."

Growing up as a farm boy in Kleefeld, Fast says he never expected to be in a situation like this.

"It has been a lifetime of waiting for me. It is quite the honour. This stamp will become part of many people's collections, probably from around the world because Canadian stamps are very popular and so yeah, I think it is very special and I am really honoured by it."

Dennis Fast and his Canadian Stamp