The Natural History Museum has finally revealed the exciting winners of the 60th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in a grand ceremony in South Kensington, and the winning entries will blow your mind. This year, the competition received 59,228 entries from 117 countries in 18 categories, and the chosen winners highlight the beauty and fragility of our natural world, as well as the richness of biodiversity and the pressing challenges facing wildlife today. To commemorate the sixth anniversary, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year also introduced a new award, the Impact Award, for both adult and young photographers.

The lead image is by Shane Gross, courtesy of the Natural History Museum and Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. All are used with permission

The winning images and past grand title winners will be displayed at the Natural History Museum on October 11, alongside the competition’s history. Following this, the showcase will tour across the UK, Australia, Canada, and several European countries. Without further ado, let’s look at the breathtaking winners.

The Swarm of Life by Shane Gross, Canada

Shane snorkeled in the lake for several hours through carpets of lily pads. This prevented any disturbance of the fine layers of silt and algae covering the lake bottom, which would have reduced visibility.

Western toad tadpoles swim up from the safer depths of the lake, dodging predators and trying to reach the shallows, where they can feed. The tadpoles start becoming toads between four and 12 weeks after hatching. An estimated 99% will not survive to adulthood.

This image also won the Wetlands: The Bigger Picture category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.

Technical details: Nikon D500 + Tokina fisheye 10–17mm f3.5–4.5 lens at 11mm; 1/200 at f13; ISO 640; 2x Sea & Sea strobes; Aquatica housing.

Life Under Dead Wood by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany

Alexis worked fast to take this photograph, as springtails can jump many times their body length in a split second. He used a technique called focus stacking, which combines 36 images, each with a different area in focus.

Springtails are barely two millimeters long (less than a tenth of an inch). They are found alongside slime molds and leaf litter all over the world. They feed on microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, improving soil by helping organic matter to decompose.

This photograph is also the winner of the 15-17 Years category.

Technical details: Panasonic Lumix G91 + Laowa 25mm f2.8; 2.5–5x ultra macro lens; 1/200 at f4; ISO 200; Nikon SB-900 Speedlight flash; Cygnustech macro diffuser.

Hope for the Ninu by Jannico Kelk, Australia

Jannico spent each morning walking the sand dunes of a conservation reserve, searching for footprints that this rabbit-sized marsupial may have left the night before. Finding tracks near a burrow, he set up his camera trap.

The greater bilby has many Aboriginal names, including ninu. It was brought to near extinction through predation by introduced foxes and cats. Within fenced reserves where many predators have been eradicated, the bilby is thriving.

Technical details: Canon EOS 60D + 24mm f2.8 lens; 1/80 at f9; ISO 320; 3x Nikon SB-28 Speedlight flashes; Camtraptions PIR motion sensor.

Recording by Hand by Liwia Pawłowska, Poland

Liwia is fascinated by bird ringing and has been photographing ringing sessions since she was nine. She hopes her photographs’ help others to get to know this topic better.’

Volunteers can assist trained staff at bird-ringing sessions, where a bird’s length, sex, condition, and age are recorded. The data collected helps scientists monitor populations and track migratory patterns, aiding conservation efforts.

Technical details: Nikon Coolpix P900; 1/400 at f5; ISO 100.

Frontier of the Lynx by Igor Metelskiy, Russia

The remote location and changing weather conditions made access to this spot – and transporting equipment there – a challenge. Igor positioned his camera trap near the footprints of potential prey.

It took more than six months of waiting to achieve this relaxed image of the elusive lynx. A survey carried out in 2013 estimated the entire Russian lynx population was around 22,500 individuals, with numbers for the Russian Far East, including those in Primorsky Krai, at 5,890.

Technical details: Sony α7 IV + 24–70mm f2.8 lens; 1/500 at f5.6; ISO 100; Scout camera controller + PIR motion sensor.  

On Watch by John E Marriott, Canada

John had been tracking this family group for almost a week, wearing snowshoes and carrying light camera gear to make his way through snowy forests. When fresh tracks led him to the group, he kept his distance to ensure he didn’t disturb them.

Lynx numbers usually reflect the natural population fluctuations of their main prey species, the snowshoe hare. With climate change reducing snow coverage and giving other predators more opportunities to hunt the hares, hare populations may decline, which will affect the lynx population.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 400mm; 1/800 at f9; ISO 1250. 

Practice Makes Perfect by Jack Zhi, USA

Jack has been visiting this area for the past eight years, observing the constant presence of one of the birds and photographing the chicks. On this day, tracking the action was challenging because the birds were so fast. The image is surreal, and thus, it made it to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners list.

Should this young peregrine falcon make it to adulthood, tests have shown it will be capable of stooping or dropping down on its prey from above at speeds of more than 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour).

Technical details: Sony α9 II + 600mm f4 lens; 1/4000 at f5.6; ISO 640.

A Tranquil Moment by Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka

Resting in a quiet place after a morning of photographing birds and leopards, Vinod soon realized he wasn’t alone. A troop of toque macaques was moving through the trees above. Vinod spotted this young monkey sleeping between feeds and used a telephoto lens to frame the peaceful moment.

Toque macaques easily adapt to human foods, and the encroachment of plantations into their habitat has increased the incidents of shooting, snaring, and poisoning by farmers trying to preserve their crops.

Technical details: Nikon D500 + 600mm f4 lens; 1/1250 at f4; ISO 3200.

Wetland Wrestle by Karine Aigner, USA

The tour group Karine was leading had stopped to photograph some marsh deer when she noticed an odd shape floating in the water. Karine quickly recognized the reptiles through binoculars and watched as they struggled with each other.

Caimans are generalist feeders and will eat snakes. As anacondas get larger, they will include reptiles in their diet. It’s hard to determine who the aggressor here is. On the snake’s back are two tabanids, blood-sucking horseflies that are known to target reptiles.

Technical details: Sony α1 + 200–600mm f5.6–6.3 lens; 1/400 at f16; ISO 800.

The Demolition Squad by Ingo Arndt, Germany

‘Full of ants’ is how Ingo described himself after lying next to the ants’ nest for just a few minutes. Ingo watched as the redwood ants carved an already dead beetle into pieces small enough to fit through the entrance to their nest.

Much of the redwood ants’ nourishment comes from honeydew secreted by aphids, but they also need protein. They can kill insects and other invertebrates much larger than themselves through sheer strength in numbers.

Location: Technical details: Canon EOS 5DS R + 100mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 at f8; ISO 400; Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX flash; softboxes.

The Artful Crow by Jiří Hřebíček, Czech Republic

Jiří often visits his local park in Basel, which is ideal for experimenting with camera techniques. Jiří deliberately moved his camera in different directions while using a long shutter speed to create this painterly effect of a sitting carrion crow.

Carrion crows are intelligent birds that have successfully adapted to living alongside humans, with gardens and parks providing a regular food supply. In Switzerland, they are found north of the Alps, with some of the highest concentrations around Basel.

Technical details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + 70–200mm f2.8 lens + 2x teleconverter; 2 sec at f10; ISO 50; variable neutral density filter.

A Diet of Deadly Plastic by Justin Gilligan, Australia

Justin has been documenting Adrift Lab’s work for several years, often joining them on beach walks at dawn to collect dead chicks. The team brings together biologists from around the world to study the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems. The image is creative and, thus, made it to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners list.

Studies found that three-quarters of adult flesh-footed shearwaters breeding on Lord Howe Island – and 100% of fledglings – contained plastic. The team, including a Natural History Museum scientist, discovered it causes scarring to the lining of the digestive tract, a condition called plasticosis.

Technical details: Nikon D850 + 24–70mm f2.8 lens; 1/125 at f11; ISO 400; Profoto B10 + A1 flash.

Old Man of the Glen by Fortunato Gatto, Italy

Fortunato often visits the Glen Affric ancient pinewoods alone to lose himself in its intricate, chaotic, timeless beauty. The pale ‘old man’s beard’ lichens indicate that it’s an area of minimal air pollution.

Glen Affric is home to the highest concentration of native trees in the UK, making it a vital ecosystem. The pollen analysis in the layered sediments shows that the forest has stood here for at least 8,300 years.

Technical details: Canon EOS R5 + 24–105mm f4 lens; 4 sec at f13; ISO 320; remote shutter release; Leofoto tripod.

Under the Waterline by Matthew Smith, UK/Australia

Matthew used a specially designed extension for the front of his underwater housing to get this split image. It was his first encounter with a leopard seal. The young seal made several close, curious passes. ‘When it looked straight into the lens barrel, I knew I had something good.’

Though leopard seals are widespread and abundant, overfishing, retreating sea ice, and warming waters mean that krill and penguins – their main food sources – are both in decline.

Technical details: Nikon Z 7 II + 14–30mm f4 lens; 1/200 at f11; ISO 640; neutral density graduated filter; Aquatica AZ6/7 housing + Matty Smith 12″ split shot dome port; Sea & Sea YS-D3 MKII strobes.

Tiger in Town by Robin Darius Conz, Germany

Robin was following this tiger as part of a documentary team filming the wildlife of the Western Ghats. On this day, he used a drone to watch the tiger explore its territory before it settled in this spot. The image is fantastic, and thus, made it to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners list.

The protected areas in the Western Ghats, where tigers are carefully monitored, are some of the most biodiverse landscapes in India and have a stable population of tigers. Tiger occupancy has declined outside these areas, where development has created conflict between humans and wildlife.

Technical details: DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine + 70mm f2.8 lens; 1/15 at f2.8; ISO 400.

Dusting for New Evidence by Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK

Britta spent time at the CITES Border Force department, where confiscated animal products are tested. Newly developed magnetic powder allows experts to obtain fingerprints from ivory up to 28 days after touching it, increasing the chances of identifying those involved in its illegal trade.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has distributed over 200 specially created kits to border forces from 40 countries. They have been instrumental in four cases that resulted in 15 arrests.

Technical details: Leica SL2 + 24–90mm f2.8–4 lens at 62mm; 1/80 at f3.8; ISO 200.

Dolphins of the Forest by Thomas Peschak, Germany/South Africa

The Amazon river dolphin is one of two freshwater dolphin species living in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Only this species has evolved to explore the seasonally flooded forest habitat.

Technical details: Nikon Z 9 + 14–30mm f4 lens at 16mm; 1/320 at f6.3; ISO 1250  

Portfolio Story:

Thomas Peschak documents the relationship between endangered Amazon river dolphins, also known as botos or pink river dolphins, and the people with whom they share their watery home. 

The Amazon river dolphin’s relationship with humans is complex. Traditional Amazonian beliefs hold that dolphins can take on human form and are revered and feared. Others see them as thieves who steal fish from nets and should be killed. 

Thomas took these images in areas where local communities create opportunities for tourists to encounter the dolphins. This brings another set of problems: when they’re fed by humans, the dolphins become unhealthy, and younger individuals don’t learn to hunt for themselves.

The Serengeti of the Sea by Sage Ono, USA

These tube-snout fish eggs will fade in color as the embryos develop. But they sparkle like gems next to the kelp’s gold, glowing, gas-filled buoyancy aids. The green serrated edges of the kelp fronds complete the simple composition. 

Technical details: Nikon D850 + 60mm f2.8 lens; 1/160 at f14; ISO 250; Nauticam NA-D850 housing; 2x Sea & Sea YS-D2J strobes 

Portfolio Story:

Sage Ono explores the abundant life around the giant kelp forests in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Inspired by the stories told by his grandfather, a retired marine biologist, and by a photograph of a larval cusk eel, Sage acquired a compact underwater camera and decided to take up underwater photography.

After university, he moved to the coast near the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to pursue his interests. Here, the submerged world of the bay’s forests of giant kelp—the biggest of all seaweeds—and the diversity of life they contain have captured his imagination.

Free as a Bird by Alberto Román Gómez, Spain

Watching from the window of his father’s car at the edge of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Alberto found this young bird tricky to photograph as it quickly flew back and forth, gathering insects. To Alberto, the stonechat displayed a sense of ownership, as if it were a young guardian overseeing its territory. The image is surreal, and thus, made it to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners list.

This young bird has not yet developed its adult call, which sounds like two stones tapped together. Stonechats tend to prefer open habitats and typically perch on fences.

Technical details: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III +100–400mm f5.6–6.3 lens at 400mm; 1/640 at f6.3 (+1 e/v).

An Evening Meal by Parham Pourahmad, USA

Over a single summer, Parham visited Ed R Levin County Park most weekends to take photographs. He wanted to showcase the variety of wildlife living within a busy metropolitan city and to illustrate that ‘nature will always be wild and unpredictable.’

The Cooper’s hawk is a common species across southern Canada, the USA, and central Mexico. It inhabits mature and open woodlands. These adaptable birds also live in urban spaces, where tall trees provide nesting sites and bird feeders attract smaller birds, which they can prey on.

Technical details: Nikon D3500 + Sigma 150–600mm f5-6.3 lens at 210mm; 1/400 at f6.3; ISO 800.

For more information, visit Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s website.