In brief
The 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest showcases a wide range of breathtaking images that reveal the hidden depths of animal behaviour and the emotional bonds within species. Federico Veronesi captures a heart‑wracking scene of a female elephant carrying a dead calf, earning the overall title and drawing attention to the complex social lives of elephants. Other winners include a dung beetle exerting great effort in the sands of Zimbabwe, a lone bumblebee poised against flowers in England, a young bull elephant watering zebras in Kenya, and many more that highlight the diverse ecosystems of our planet. These images are set to be displayed at the Natural History Museum’s annual exhibition starting 16 October 2026, inviting viewers to look beyond the surface and appreciate the profound stories hidden in nature.
Federico Veronesi (Italy) captures a powerful black‑and‑white moment of a female elephant carrying a dead calf across a Namibian riverbed, earning the overall title and opening new conversations about animal empathy and memory. The image, now a centerpiece of the Natural History Museum’s exhibition, illustrates how wildlife can move humanity as surely as a human could.
Labour of Love
Oscar Whitfield from Zimbabwe/UK presents a striking black‑and‑white photograph of a dung beetle trailing a ball of dung uphill through dust in Zimbabwe’s National Park, demonstrating the immense effort even small creatures exert in their natural tasks.
Flight of the Bumblebee
Amelie Davis (UK) captures a single wingbeat of a common bumblebee on a flower in Surrey, England, the result of a smartphone shot that shows how everyday moments hold extraordinary details.
The Meeting Place
James Lewin (UK) photographs a young bull elephant spraying zebras while water‑spreading at a lake in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills, filmed through infrared to soften harsh light and bring out the scene’s quiet drama.
A Watchful Eye
Aaron Sanders (UK) presents a close‑up of an octopus eye behind kelp off the Cornish coast, a testament to increased sightings of tropical species in cooler waters due to warming seas.
Scenes from the Swamp
Isak Pretorius (South Africa) captures two shoebill storks amid the Ugandan swamp, rare birds whose dramatic silhouettes underline the tension between endangered species and habitat loss.
Birdsong Painted in Light
Konrad Gräeter (Germany) freezes a blackbird’s mid‑air feathering in Germany’s vineyards at dawn, an image that reflects the fleeting yet complex choreography of mating displays.
Urban Jungle
Seth Forestson (UK) shows a common water lizard nesting beside a city skyline in Bangkok, illustrating the adaptability of wildlife to the concrete environment.
Making Morays
Tony Wu (USA/Japan) documents, for the first time, the courtship ritual of Abbott’s moray eels in Japan, using dim red light to minimise disturbance and reveal subtle behaviours.
Wily Coyotes of San Francisco
Loren Elliott (USA) frames a coyote striding through a San Francisco park, a species that thrives in iron‑bound urban landscapes while drawing mixed public attitudes.
Protective Pose
Anton Sorokin (US) captures a California newt laying eggs in a murky pond, a reminder of how amphibians remain vulnerable despite their hidden presence.
Hidden Depths
Alexis Tinker‑Tsavalas (Germany) reveals a robber fly’s predatory action under UV light, inviting viewers to notice the intricate micro‑ecosystems often overlooked.
Shedding Light
Agorastos Papatsanis (Greece) illuminates mushrooms on a Greek mountaintop with UV light, turning the mundane into a glowing tableau of fungal life.
Mcintosh over the Great Divide
Alex Visbal (Colombia) captures a molecule of the world – a line dividing pink and blue‑grey waters in Utah – emphasizing how human engineering reshapes wetlands and balances ecosystems.
Escape Artistry
Michał Michalski (Poland) freezes a flock of birds mid‑flight in Greece’s woods, artfully rendering the fleeting motion of wild animals within landscapes.
