The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, celebrating its 60th anniversary, has unveiled a selection of stunning images that showcase the diversity and beauty of the natural world. This year, London’s Natural History Museum received a record-breaking 59,228 entries from photographers of all ages across 117 countries. The images were anonymously judged by a panel based on their creativity, originality, and technical excellence. The winners in each category will be announced on October 8th, and 100 of the competition’s best photographs will be exhibited at the Natural History Museum from October 11th.
One particularly striking image captures a stoat leaping into the air above fresh snow. Photographer Jose Manual Grandío camped out in below-zero temperatures at Athose, in France’s Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, to capture this moment. The display, which Grandío saw as an “expression of exuberance,” has scientists debating its motivations. Some believe it is an attempt to confuse prey, while others suggest it may be the result of a parasitic infection. Regardless of the reason, this behavior is known as dancing.
Another captivating image shows two crabeater seals napping beside a ship in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. Tamara Stubbs, who captured the scene during a nine-week expedition, witnessed the seals bobbing to the surface to take a deeper breath, their nostril tips poking above the water’s surface.
Tommy Trenchard’s image of a requiem shark caught accidentally by a fishing ship in the South Atlantic Ocean serves as a stark reminder of the threats facing our oceans. The shark, its body twisting in a final gesture of defiance, highlights the alarming rate at which shark populations are declining. An estimated 80 million sharks are caught each year, placing three-quarters of all shark species at risk of extinction.
Xingchao Zhu tracked a group of Pallas cats across the frozen plateaus of Inner Mongolia during February 2023’s Chinese New Year to capture a shot of one making eye contact as it snatches a small bird. Taken just before dawn, the photograph showcases the stealth and grace of these elusive creatures.
Lam Soon Tak encountered a David Bowie spider, named for its Ziggy Stardust-like markings, clinging to broken branches beside a river in the highlands of Malaysia. The spider, clutching a bright white egg sac in its jaws, is a testament to the diversity of life found in our planet’s ecosystems.
Ian Ford’s photograph of a jaguar delivering a skull-shattering bite to a yacare caiman’s head in Brazil’s Pantanal wetland captures the raw power and brutality of the natural world. Ford was at the perfect location to snap the shot after a radio call alerted him to the jaguar prowling the banks of a São Lourenço River tributary.
Shreyovi Mehta captured a scene of two peafowls searching for food in a clearing at Keoladeo National Park, India. After running back to her father to collect her camera, she lay down on the ground and snapped the shot from a low angle, highlighting the beauty of the birds as they emerged from the shade.
Jason Gulley’s image of a mother manatee and her calf floating in Florida’s Crystal River showcases the gentle side of nature. The bubbles trailing from the calf’s flippers add a touch of whimsy to the photograph.
William Fortescue captured a female lion breaking off an attempt by a male lion to mate in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. The backdrop of billowing storm clouds adds to the brooding atmosphere of the scene, highlighting the complex dynamics of the animal kingdom.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is a celebration of the beauty and fragility of our planet’s wildlife. These stunning images serve as a reminder of the importance of conservation and the need to protect these incredible creatures for future generations.
