More than 65,000 images by photographers in 121 countries presented a staggering challenge for the jurors of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Of these entries, 100 were selected for the prestigious contest’s shortlist, showcasing the world’s diverse creatures and their habitats.
The top images also demonstrate an array of realities across a number of categories, from animal behavior to portraits to photojournalism. Viewers are treated to the beauty and tenderness of inter-species cooperation and also confronted with the poignancy of family and the sometimes troubling impacts of human intervention.
Ernest Porter (South Africa), “Mutual Friends,” Manyeleti Game Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Highly Commended, Behaviour: Birds. An oxpecker cleans its bill against a rhino’s skin.
In Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen’s capture of orcas off the coast of Norway, we witness a grieving parent supporting the body of a calf as they swim. And Pietro Rojas’ documentation of a brown bear in a circus, muzzled and strapped to a bicycle cart for a performance, acknowledges the toll of human interference on wild animals. “Many countries have banned the use of wild animals in circuses,” says a statement. “Where brown bears are used, they often are trained to perform in unnatural postures like standing upright for long periods of time, contributing to health and behavioural problems.”
Most of the images snap animals in their native habitats, such as a polar bear peeking furtively through a hole in the ice, which Audun Rikardsen captures from a seal’s-eye view. Ernest Porter times an oxpecker’s beak-cleaning ritual on the snout of a rhinoceros so well that it lends an air of affection, as if the bird is giving the mammal a hug. And Jens Cullmann chronicles a humorously candid “fail” when an African bullfrog dramatically misses its meal.
Winners are slated to be announced on October 13. Explore hundreds of photos from past years in the online gallery, and visit this year’s exhibition, which runs from October 16 to July 11, 2027, at London’s Natural History Museum.
Jens Cullmann (Germany), “Split-Second Escape,” Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana. Highly Commended, Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles. An African bullfrog lunges for an African babul butterfly—and misses.
Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen (Norway), “Lifted to the Surface,” Kvænangen, Troms County, Norway. Highly Commended, Behaviour: Mammals. An adult orca supports the body of a calf in the freezing waters of a Norwegian fjord.
Pietro Rojas (Guatemala), “The Show Goes On,” Doha, Qatar. Highly Commended, Photojournalism. A brown bear rides a small motorcycle, muzzled and secured to the apparatus as it circles a circus ring.
Bence Máté (Hungary), “Flock of Gold,” Ashnil Aruba Lodge, Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Highly Commended, Behaviour: Birds. A flock of birds descends to quench their thirst at a small pond.
Shane Gross (Canada), “Calm Amid the Storm,” D’Arros Island, Seychelles. Highly Commended, Oceans: The Bigger Picture. A school of bigeye trevally swirls as the morning light breaks and a storm approaches.
Jack Crockford (U.K.), “The Art of Flying,” London, England. Highly Commended, 15-17 Years. A low-flying swift passes by, its shape echoed by an incoming plane to Heathrow Airport.
Gil Wizen (Israel/Canada), “Hidden Dragon,” Wildsumaco Biological Station, Napo Province, Ecuador. Highly Commended, Behaviour: Invertebrates. A lichen dragon katydid perches on a plant.
Andrea and Maceo Grammatico (France), “Biting Back,” Sierpe, South Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Highly Commended, Animal Portraits. A mosquito drinks a venomous viper’s blood.
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