“Hallelujah” by Preeti and Prashant Chacko (Kenya). Winner, The Greatest Maasai Mara Photographer of the Year.
“We had spent a good deal of time with a small journey of giraffe, made notable by the antics of this youngster, who was keenly exploring its surroundings at a reasonable distance from its mother. Our guide Jackson told me to be prepared for when the calf would return to the mother, as that usually results in something memorable to photograph. The calf returned but what transpired was beyond what we expected, with the oxpeckers seeming to us like angels singing Hallelujah!”

“Little Mush” by Vicki Jauron (USA). Finalist.
“We had seen this lioness a few days earlier and could tell that she was a new mother, but she was hunting and the cubs were hidden away somewhere. We searched a few times to find her with her cubs and on our last day, we were successful. It was a lovely morning and dad was around soaking up the sun while mom and her sister took the cubs on a walkabout. What made this all the more exciting was that there were very few vehicles nearby and so she had the ability to move without interruption.”

“Stretch” by Kunal D Shah (Kenya). Finalist.
“Watching Nalangu kill an impala that afternoon was incredible. However, due to the size of the kill, it was impossible for her to carry it back for the little one. She walked to the usual hideaways and brought him out after about an hour of waiting. As she guided the cub to the kill, I realized we could get an amazing shot of her on her return, from the bottom of a river crossing. We quickly rushed to the bottom of the river bed and waited. She not only walked by it, but she stretched and looked towards us.”

“Droplets” by Andrew Liu (USA). Finalist.
“We found Short-Tail lounging just after sunrise. He graced us with a little drink from a nearby puddle, resulting in this beautiful dripping of water from his mane and beard.”

“Sunrise Crossing” by Charlie Wemyss-Dunn (USA). Finalist.
“Our guide encouraged a quick departure from camp early one morning as we'd previously seen a massive herd eager to cross over to the Triangle from Lookout Hill the evening before. Before we reached the river, a call from one of our other vehicles came in that the massive herd had just begun to cross at the Miti Moja crossing point. As we arrived we were greeted with a scene I'll never forget as a mega herd of wildebeest rushed down the bank as the red glow of a perfect sunrise pierced the sky. We were one of only three vehicles on either side to take in this epic scene while the early morning balloons can be made out in the far background in front of the rising sun. Photography was not surprisingly a challenge given the very low and contrasting light so I had to sacrifice ISO for a sharp image with the whole scene in view. A once-in-a-lifetime scene of nature's greatest show.”

“Glowing Serval” by Vrinda Bhatnagar (India). Finalist.
“We watched this serval cat scan the area, finally pounce and prey upon a mouse, and then stand satisfied for a few minutes as the early morning sun lit up her fur from behind making a glowing halo around her.”

“Inseparable” by Andrew Liu (USA). Finalist.
“After an hour spent watching the cubs, they finally took notice of our truck and decided to come explore. I captured this image as they made their way toward us along the path.”

“Leaning Towers” by Abderazak Tissoukai (UAE). Finalist.
“I got to understand with time that powerful wildlife images are the ones that translate an emotion, which is often the result of the interaction between two or more animals. My experienced guide and I discussed this topic on several occasions in order to ensure his vision was aligned with mine. Luck was on our side when we crossed paths with these two young adult giraffes during their necking practice session. We noticed they were doing it in a quite friendly way, to avoid hurting each other as the moment of force generated by the movement of their long necks could indeed be harmful in real fight situations. When they went a bit too hard, a moment of care and affection almost immediately followed, as if it was their own way of saying ‘sorry’. I felt this one was one of them.”

“Danger out of Dawn” by Silka Hullmann (Germany). Finalist.
“Almost immediately after leaving camp, we encountered a group of three lionesses
strolling through the still dewy grass in search of prey. Hoping that the cats would still be somewhat active in the early morning hours and that we would get pictures in good light, we followed them along the Mara River. Suddenly, startled by the danger from the now blood-orange-red dawn, a group of wildebeest ran straight at us and disappeared into nothingness. We were rewarded: the morning sun and the dust of the savannah gave this brief moment in a beautiful play of colors and an almost mystical mood.”

“The Probing Eyes” by Ashish Ranjan (UAE). Finalists.
“It was a beautiful morning safari in the Maasai Mara when our guide decided to take us to the Topi Pride as they had been seen roaming in their territory looking for food. We spotted the cubs near the foot of the hills where they are known to live. We waited for more than 45 minutes before we could see the pack of lionesses coming towards their cubs. In anticipation of good moments of them meeting their waiting cubs, we positioned our vehicle close to an anthill hoping that the lionesses would climb over it and the cubs would follow. We were proven right and when one of the lionesses went up to her cubs, we got our moment where we took some close-up shots in the warm morning sunlight. One such moment was this where I intentionally kept the mother almost out of the frame and only focused on the eye of the cub resulting in this shot.”

Matt Emmett, overall winner, Arcaid Photography Awards 2016. (Photo: Matt Emmett/Arcaid Images)

Sasha Dudkina, EyeEm Photographer of the Year 2017. (Photo: Sasha Dudkina)

bachirm, 1st prize winner Urban, 2017 International Drone Photography Contest. (Photo: bachirm)

Melissa Amber & Ashley Nicole, Black & White Conceptual Series of the Year 2017, MonoVisions Photography Awards. (Photo: Melissa Amber & Ashley Nicole)

Danny Yen Sin Wong, 1st prize Open Color, Siena International Photography Awards 2016. (Photo: Danny Yen Sin Wong)

Sergey Gorshkov, Finalist, Animal Portraits, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017. (Photo: Sergey Gorshkov / Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

“Hokey Pokey” by Danny Lee. Bird Portrait winner.
Bird: Shy Albatross
“Shy Albatross are regular visitors to boats in Tasmania. They are often intrigued when I slip into the water with them, and they can get quite confident in approaching to see if my camera gear is edible or not. The conditions were perfect this day, and usually just having an Albatross so close is usually enough, but the ominous sky certainly added more drama to the shot.”

“In the footsteps of Pretender” by Elmar Akhmetov. Portfolio Winner.
Bird: Superb Lyrebird
“This portfolio comprises photos of a single lyrebird who I closely followed over the course of 3 months while working on a short film on lyrebirds. I have spent over a hundred hours in the bush and witnessed the most interesting scenes of his behavior in a variety of weather conditions. My idea for selection of photos for the portfolio was not to represent the bird in all the beautiful display poses, but to try and condense my experience of observation into a short form to give the viewers an idea of the behavior of the bird outside of endless hours of feeding. This is my ode to this wonderful bird known to many locals as Pretender.”

“Over the Rainbow” by Nathan Watson. Human Impact winner.
Bird: Western Rosella
“The wheels of a car speed past the lifeless body of a beautiful Western Rosella, victim of a car strike. For all the impact us humans have on birds, road mortality is perhaps the most overlooked. In Australia it is estimated around 10 million animals are killed on our roads every year and it is threatening whole species. A large number of those deaths are birds like parrots, which are often lured into danger by spilled grain along the roadsides.”

“Alight” by Alex France. Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.
Bird: Eastern Yellow Robin

“Feed Me Please” by Cheng Kang. Bird Behaviour Winner.
Bird: Eurasian Coot and Little Pied Cormorant
“I was so surprised to see an eurasian coot asking for food from a little pied cormorant. When I first saw them getting closer with mouths gaping, I couldn't help but think – are they going to fight? In fact, the little pied cormorant ended up spitting out some food for its counterpart. I was so amazed and touched to see this act of charity among birds of different species and made me think about my expectations of how nature interacts. It turns out birds not of a feather also flock together!”

“Pearl” by Lawrence Chan. Shortlist, Birds in Flight.
Bird: Red Wattlebird

“Kookaburra” by GD Smith. Shortlist, Bird Portrait.
Bird: Kookaburra

“NipNip” by Austin Ridley-Jarvis. Peter Slater Memorial Prize, Youth Entrant.
Bird: Australian Boobook Owl
“A close up portrait of a wild Australian Boobook Owl that has taken up residence in a park opposite my home in Quinns Rock, WA. We have named her NipNip. I am able to get incredibly close to NipNip as she peers down from her favorite tree. My reflection is visible in her eyes.”

“Morning Serenity” by Desmond Wang. Youth Photography Winner.
Bird: Australasian Wood Duck
“In an early autumn morning, just before sunrise, I laid down on mud at a local park, trying to photograph coots and grebes that were feeding. After a while, a group of Australian Wood Ducks decided to join them. The fog caused the camera to miss focus a couple of times, and after many attempts, I finally captured this duck landing.”

“Berries for Lunch” by Cheng Kang. Shortlist, Bird Behavior.
Bird: Silvereye

“Leaning In” by Rebecca Harrison. Backyard Birds Winner.
Bird: Galah
“This clever female Galah had worked out how to get to the tasty grass seeds by climbing up the side fence and leaning out as far as she could to grab them swaying in the breeze.”

“What's Mine is Yours” by Rebecca Harrison. Shortlist, Bird Behavior.
Bird: Fairy Tern

“Emu Mist” by Christian Spencer. Shortlist, Birds in the Landscape.
Bird: Emu

“Taking Offence” by Simon Cherriman. Shortlist, Human Impact.
Bird: Southern Boobook

“Salute to the Sun” by Finnian Bissell. Shortlist, Youth.
Bird: Olive-back Sunbird

“Contemplating…” by Jacob Dedman. Shortlist, Youth.
Bird: Australian Pelican

“Hiding Wren” by Mitchell Roberts. Peter Slater Memorial Prize.
Bird: Superb Fairy-wren
“Most days I'm done taking photos 2 hours after sunrise but this day I went with a mate and we kept on shooting which made me change gear of taking the photos I always aim for and seeing what I can create. Knowing that light coming from singular sources create bokeh spheres, so I focused on the water which now was reflecting very strong light, I could see it dancing back and forth. Now I just needed a subject. The benefit of returning to the same locations time and time again I knew that it wouldn't take long before I would see some wrens jumping through the trees and shrubs that lined the banks.”

“White-faced Storm Petrel” by John Harrison. Birds in Flight Winner.
Bird: White-faced Storm Petrel
“A flying white-faced storm petrel skiing on the water. Storm petrels regularly exhibit this behavior whilst searching for food on the water's surface, but I have never seen such a perfectly timed photo of the moment of impact.”

“The sentinel” by Maria Coleman. Birds in the Landscape Winner.
Bird: Australian Pelican
“The birds were hunting in the water and moving through the fog and dead trees. It was a very cool and foggy area but the birds could see what they were doing. Up above perched in the dead trees was one lonely Pelican which seemed to be on patrol of the wetland.”

“Daylight” by Warren Wilson. Shortlist, Backyard Birds.
Bird: Satin Bowerbird

“Carpark Curlews” by Jan McMenamin. Peter Slater Memorial Prize.
Bird: Bush-stone Curlews
“This group of Bush-Stone Curlews awaited me early one morning as I pulled into the car park next to the botanic gardens. They looked out of place but, at the same time, confident in this environment and accepting of my presence. I was struck by their shy but slightly wicked gaze. Their feather patterning and the lines and textures of their man-made surroundings led me to render this image in black and white.”

“Pink Robin” by Ravi Arora. Shortlist, Special Theme, Australasian Robins.
Bird: Pink Robin

“A light in the shadows” by Roberto Garcia Roa. Overall Winner.
Location: Tambopata, Peru
“The glowing golden eyes of a Helena's Treefrog pierce the darkness as this frog perches on a mossy tree in the Peruvian jungle of Tambopata.”

“Leopard Surprise!” by Peter Hudson. Runner-up.
Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
“Frozen in time, this image captures a Steenbok’s last futile attempt not to become prey, while a mother Leopard is determined to feed her cub.”

“Wild pearls” by Javier Lobon-Rovira. Winner, Up Close & Personal.
Location: Portugal
“A gold-striped salamander is nestled amongst a jumble of eggs, easily mistakable for a collection of pearls.”

“Calling out into darkness” by Sam J. England. Highly Commended, Individuals & Populations.
Location: Sarapiqui, Costa Rica
“Clinging to a thin branch, the red-eyed tree frog calls out for a mate illuminated in vivid shades of red, blue and green against the dark black cover of night.”

“A new Plastic Home” by Andreas Eich. Winner, People & Nature.
Location: Pulau Bangka, Indonesia
“A terrestrial hermit crab with its new home, a faded plastic bottle cap, explores a postcard perfect idyllic beach scene.”

“Studying the most trafficked animal in the world” by Ruth Smith. Student Winner, Ecology in Action.
Location: Gabon, Africa
“PhD student Ruth Smith crouches beside a 42kg male giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), the largest on record, after taking tissue samples and fitting a GPS device to relay the animals location.”

“Invasive battle – fire fierce” by Javier Lobon-Rovira. Winner, Dynamic Ecosystems.
Location: Florida, USA
“Two invasive species cross paths as an army of fire ants consume a house gecko.”

“Bubble bath” by Alwin Hardenbol. Winner, The Art of Ecology.
Location: Tampere, Finland
“A Horned Grebe calmly floats as the rising sunlight reflects off the waters surface.”

“Danger Spawning” by Emma Weschke. Student Winner, Dynamic Ecosystems.
Location: Fakarava, French Polynesia
“Below the waters surface, thousands of black and white striped Convict Tangs congregate unaware as a grey reef shark lurks in the background.”

“Takeout” by Sam Eberhard. Student Winner.
Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon, USA
“A single moment captured of the chaos of a bald eagle, and its prey, attempted to avoid the western gulls circling above.”

“Tourists in the wild” by Mackenzie Meier. Student Winner, People & Nature.
Location: Hawaii
“A turtle swims over a shallow reef while a group of tourists gather behind with their cameras at the ready.”

“Morning dew” by Francesca Martelli. Student Winner, Up Close & Personal.
Location: Cogne, Italy
“A Damon Blue butterfly (Polyommatus damon) – a common late summer species in mountainous regions of Europe – is covered by dew drops at dawn, patiently waiting to be warmed by the day's first sunlight.”

“The Shrike strikes again!” by Jennifer Holguin. Student Winner, Individuals & Populations.
Location: Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA
“This Round-tailed Horn Lizard is left forever with its mouth agape, impaled by the long green beak of a Loggerhead Shrike.”

“Bruma” by Roberto Garcia Roa. Winner, Ecology in Action.
Location: Valencia, Spain
“A female Bonelli's eagle, “Bruma”, lays dead in the dirt after being electrocuted by powerlines looming in the distance.”

“Diwali in the forest” by Naitik Patel. Student Winner, The Art of Ecology.
Location: Kaziranga, Assam, India
“The glowing green lights of a swarm of fireflies created shines bright against the deep green grass of the forest floor.”

“Night Guardian” by Javier Lobon-Rovira. Winner, Individuals & Populations.
Location: Veragua Rainforest, Costa Rica
“Expertly camouflaged, a smooth helmeted iguana blends into the mossy tree trunk it clings to.”

“Not so cat-like reflexes” by Jennifer Hadley (United States). Overall Winner and Alex Walker's Serian Creatures of the Land Award.
Location: Serengeti Tanzania
“This 3-month-old cub and his sibling were in a tree. The other lionesses were in other trees and on the ground. He wanted to get down and walked all over the branches looking for the right spot and finally just went for it. It was probably his first time in a tree and his descent didn't go so well. He was just fine though after landing on the ground. He got up and ran off with some other cubs.”

“Say cheeeese” by Arthur Telle Thiemann (Spain). Winner, Creatures Under the Water Award.
Location: Faial, Azores
“A couple of triggerfish looking into the camera, captured at the Azores. Even though they may look funny, these fish can be quite aggressive. In this case, they didn't attempt to bite me, but the domeport of my camera housing ended up with some scratches… life is hard… at least it wasn't me who was hurt.”

“Misleading African Viewpoints 2” by Jean-Jacques Alcalay (France). Spectrum Photo Creatures of the Air Award.
Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa
“Hippo yawning next to a heron standing on the back of another hippo.”

“Talk To The Fin!” by Jennifer Hadley (United States). Affinity Photo 2 People's Choice Award.
Location: Falkland Islands
“This was shot on the Falkland Islands. These two gentoo penguins were hanging out on the beach when one shook himself off and gave his mate the snub.”

“I CU boy!” by Arshdeep Singh (India). Winner, Junior Award.
Location: Bikaner, India
“Few hundred miles away we went to explore wildlife of a small town named ‘Bikaner’. It was after almost a year I travelled because of Covid. We hired a guide to explore places around. During last day of our trip we came across a pipe in a city where we spotted an owlet. I have earlier clicked owls in a pipe before so I was sure that I wasn’t mistake. We waited for a short while and it didn’t take a long time and one of the spotted owlet came out of the pipe. It was really funny when he came out and looked at me straight, before going inside he closed one of his eyes and felt like he wanted to say I CU boy ! and I immediately snapped a picture when he gave this pose.”

“1. Kick-off” by Jia Chen (Canada). Winner, Amazing Internet Portfolio Award.
Location: Ontario, Canada
“The juvenile cooper's hawk has a dream to become a football start. It is practicing. First kick-off.”

“3. Stare” by Jia Chen (Canada). Winner, Amazing Internet Portfolio Award.
Location: Ontario, Canada
“The juvenile cooper's hawk has a dream to become a football start. It is practicing. Stare football.”

“Pegasus, the flying horse” by Jagdeep Rajput (India). Highly Commended.
Location: Keoladeo National Park, India.
“Actually this is Indian Saras Crane attacking a Bluebull from behind, the bull happened to venture close to Saras's nest, where in, it had laid a single egg. The Saras Crane, which is tallest flying bird in the world, opened its huge wings and attacked the bull from behind, driving the bull away from the nest.
Animal: Bluebull and Indian saras Crane.”

“Monkey wellness center” by Federica Vinci Fasano (Italy). Highly Commended.
Location: Cambodia, Baphuon Temple
“Walking near a Cambodian temple where groups of wild monkeys lived, I came across this scene: a wild monkey in total relax, while its friend was taking care of it.”

“Jumping Jack” by Alex Pansier (Netherlands). Highly Commended.
Location: The Netherlands, Maashorst
“A red squirrel jumps during a rainstorm, so you can see the drops flying around.”

“Hello everyone” by Miroslav Srb. (Czech Republic). Highly Commended.
Location: Florida, USA
“I photographed raccoon on a Florida beach, where I fed him shrimps. Then he thanked me like that.”

“I'm gonna strangle you!” by Emmanuel Do Linh San (South Africa). Highly Commended.
Location: Kalahari Trails Game Reserve, South Africa
“I was following a group of meerkats on foot in the Kalahari Trails Game Reserve, in South Africa. Most individuals, including adults, were in a playful mood. It gave me a unique opportunity to capture very interesting and dynamic interactions between some members of the group. In the photo that I have selected, there is no aggression between individuals, but rather an interaction that reminds us of humans when one of your friends jokes about you and you pretend to strangle them and, in response, they open their mouth like a simpleton :-)”

“Fight Back” by John Chaney (USA). Highly Commended.
Location: Alaska
“This salmon decide to punch the bear in the face rather than be lunch.”

“It's all kicking off!” by Michael Eastwell (UK)
Location: Cape Hillsborough, Queensland, Australia
“Apart from its beauty, Cape Hillsborough is renowned for its resident kangaroos and wallabies. I visited the area for three consecutive sunrises, but it was on my final morning that I captured this beautiful spectacle, two wallabies playing / fighting on the beach as the sun burst through the surrounding clouds.”

“Keep Calm and keep your head” by Martin Grace (UK). Highly Commended.
Location: Volunteer Point, East Falkland
“Two King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at Volunteer Point in the Falklands. The right hand bird may have an inscrutable expression but it must be wondering where its mate's head has gone. Perhaps it is a Rudyard Kipling scholar: ‘If you can keep your head when all about you. Are losing theirs and blaming it on you …”

“Excuse Me! Pardon Me!” by Ryan Sims (USA). Highly Commended.
Location: Juanita Bay Park, Lake Washington, Kirkland, WA. USA
“A duckling walking/waddling across a turtle covered log at the Juanita wetlands, the duckling fell off after a few turtle crossings, it was cute.”

“Tight Fit!” by Mark Schocken (USA). Highly Commended.
Location: Largo, Florida, USA
“I was going to see and photograph this eastern screech owl nest in a local park in Florida. One morning, a few days before the two owlets fledged, one owlet tried to squeeze into the nest hole with Mom, maybe to see the outside world for the first time. It was hilarious and I was glad I was there that morning to photograph it. The moment lasted only a few seconds as Mom didn't seem very happy with the arrangement. Check out the expression on her face.”

“Polaris Dream” by Nico Rinaldi.
Location: Murmansk Oblast, Russia
“I had dreamed about photographing the landscapes of Northern Russia for a long time, and this year it came true! There, you feel like you’re in the realm of snow monsters, in a landscape where the mountains and trees are dominated by ice and snow. That night, the Northern Lights put on an incredible show!
It was hard work to get to this place, since exploring this location and organizing logistics required a lot of time, effort, and the help of the friendly locals we found in our path. I only hope we can see the peace reestablished soon and re-connect with so many incredible people and landscapes on this planet.”

“Nugget Point Lighthouse Aurora” by Douglas Thorne.
Location: Nugget Point Lighthouse, New Zealand
“Nugget Point Lighthouse is on the eastern side of New Zealand’s South Island. It rests above the famous rocks, which were named by Captain Cook because they looked like pieces of gold. The lighthouse is set on a precipice, where the ocean meets the sky. From here, you can get panoramic views of the southern seas, so it’s a photographer’s dream location.
I arrived here early one autumn morning to capture the Milky Way rising above the lighthouse. It was an image that I’ve planned to capture for a long time. However, I was greeted by a surprise visitor. The Aurora Australis began to glow, its beams blooming over the ocean. I quickly changed my approach and got excited as flashes of yellow and red began to appear in my frame.
Eventually, the Milky Way and the Aurora began to synchronize harmoniously, resulting in this image. I love the leading lines and the way the Milky Way surrounds the Aurora. Mostly though, I love that this wasn’t the picture I planned. It reminds me that sometimes the best shots happen unexpectedly. You have to take risks and go exploring because you just never know what you might come across.”

“Captain Hook” by Mattia Frenguelli.
Location: Kirkjufell, Iceland
“This day will probably remain etched in my memory forever.
It’s difficult to explain with words since to fully understand it you had to be there. To take this photo, I had to stay focused while contemplating this immense spectacle of nature, trying to stay as calm as possible despite my strong emotions.
Unexpectedly, this was one of the most prominent displays of the Northern Lights in recent years, with a KP 6.33. This powerful solar explosion caused blackouts across India, (as the newspapers reported the following day), but paved the way for this beautiful light show.”

“Elves' House” by Asier López Castro.
Location: Stokknes, Iceland
“On my last trip to Iceland, I decided to try my luck in one of its most iconic locations, a magical place for any landscape photographer.
It snowed the day before, and the air mixed the fallen snow with the fine sand, making the textures on the ground incredibly beautiful. Then the sky did the rest.
The biggest problem in photographing this kind of scene is the limited information you get for the foreground since the exposure times are usually short (between 2 and 10 seconds) in order to capture the shape of the Aurora. That’s why I was forced to take pictures with different settings for the foreground and the sky.”

“Explosions of the Sky” by Kavan Chay.
Location: Taiari Beach, Otago, New Zealand
“New Zealand is really a special place for astrophotography. The skies are beautifully dark, and there are so many interesting landscape features to take in. Despite this, I’ve never managed to capture an Aurora shot with an interesting foreground element prior to this moment.
Unfortunately, the Aurora activity is not as consistent compared to other forms of astrophotography, so I had to be patient.
It was a cold night when the alerts and posts from other excited Aurora chasers popped up online. I sent a quick message to a few friends and went out to this spot. I ended up spending some time here with a friend as the lights put on a show, but the display kicked it up a notch once he left. With the whole beach to myself, no pesky lights from other people or cars, the perfect weather and strong beams… I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.
It’s this exact shot that made me addicted to chasing Auroras, and I’ve had the privilege of enjoying this sight many more times since then, with hopefully more of these moments to come.”

“Green Balls” by Jose D. Riquelme.
Location: Teriberka, Russia
“Last February, I took a trip to explore Northern Russia. The place was very inhospitable, but we had some spectacular encounters with the “Green Lady”.
I took this image in Teriberka at about -30ºC. At these temperatures, you can only leave your tripod in one position because it will freeze, and you won’t be able to get it up or down, and therein laid the challenge of finding the perfect composition.”

“The Fjord Guardian” by Filip Hrebenda.
Location: Lofoten Islands, Norway
“I took this photo last winter on the Lofoten Islands in Norway. I was supposed to fly home that day, but due to the heavy snowfall and avalanches on the road, I couldn’t get to the airport. I had to stay a few extra days in the area, so I used that time to explore and capture this photo.
It was a really cold night, but that didn’t deter me. Forecasts were reporting KP5 values, which would mean a bright Aurora if there were clear skies. At first, it was cloudy, but after a while, it cleared up and the Northern Lights appeared between the clouds. What a great night it was! It was worth staying there for a few more days.”

“Inception” by Giulio Cobianchi.
Location: Lofoten Islands, Norway
“These are the Arctic nights that leave you breathless!
I decided to spend that night up in the mountains with one of the most beautiful views of the Lofoten Islands. My goal was to photograph a “double Aurora & Milky Way arc”, to add to my Aurora collection. I had been planning this pano for a couple of years, and finally, all the elements aligned.
It wasn’t completely dark yet when I began to see the faint Milky Way in front of me. I hoped that in the next hour, a faint Aurora would appear on the opposite side, creating an arc that would fit perfectly into the composition, and so it was! What a night!
Under the Milky Way, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy in the middle of the two arcs. A shooting star acts as the cherry on top, and above a colorful Aurora, there is one of the most beautiful constellations, the Big Dipper! To the north, you can still see the light of the sun, which had recently gone below the horizon.”

“The Light Upon Kerlaugar” by Jannes Krause.
Location: Suðurland, Iceland
“I was lucky enough to witness a fantastic KP 8 display on my trip to Iceland back in October. Not only that, but it was also my first time experiencing and photographing the Northern Lights.
Originally my flight back home was scheduled to depart about 12 hours before this intense solar storm, but as soon as I saw the perfect weather and Aurora projections, I knew that I just had to change my plans and extend my trip by an additional day. Things finally came together, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the images I got.”

“Michigan Night Watch” by Marybeth Kiczenski.
Location: Point Betsie Lighthouse, Frankfort, Michigan
“Lady Aurora waits for no photographer or schedule. However, when I returned from Canada to Chicago, I was greeted by an Aurora forecast that was slated to be quite good (G1/G2 with a slight possibility of G3 conditions).
I decided to choose Point Betsie as my main location for this Aurora chase. I was greeted with quite heavy winds but a beautiful sunset and warm weather. It was super busy since it was a Friday, and there were good conditions for Auroras. It was fun to make some new friends, and we chatted while waiting for Lady Aurora to make an appearance.
Around 11:30pm, she made herself known. We cheered. We clapped. This is what makes all of it worth it! Afterward, we packed up and drove the three hours back to Martin, MI, to start work for the day. Ah, the life of an Aurora chaser!”

“Under a Northern Sky” by Rachel Jones Ross.
Location: Tombstone Mountain Range, Yukon Territory, Canada
“The northern sky is utterly fascinating.
We have all heard stories about the land of the Midnight Sun: in the summer, the sun doesn’t really set, and in the winter, nights are long with no sun, or very little sun at all. But there are also 3-4 days each month when the moon doesn’t set (circumpolar) and 3-4 days each month when it doesn’t rise!
Before I left, I checked the moon calendar, and I was a bit disappointed to see that my visit would coincide with a waxing gibbous approaching a full moon. But on closer investigation, there were four nights when the moon didn’t make it above the horizon, and I had dark nights for shooting the Aurora!”

“The Bitter Death Of Birds” by Mehdi Mohebi Pour. Winner, Environmental Photographer of the Year.
Location: Miankaleh, Iran
“In 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, thousands of birds died in the Miankala lagoon due to lack of water and its contamination with various toxins. This photo shows the efforts of the environmental forces to collect the bodies and prevent the spread of this disease. In the next year, 2021/2022, fortunately, we saw the return of birds. The birds are in the wetland from the beginning of October to the end of March and after that they migrate and we can photograph them for almost 6 months of the year.”

“New Ways To The Future (III)” by Simone Tramonte. Winner, Adapting for Tomorrow.
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
“A view of Middelgrunden offshore wind farm from Amager Strand, a very popular beach in Copenhagen. The wind farm landscape perfectly integrates with this very popular beach where local people go to sunbathe or play water sports. The wind farm was developed with a strong involvement of the local community in the planning phase and as investors. 14.4% of the Danish electricity consumption is provided by wind. More than 150,000 Danish families are members of wind turbine cooperatives such as this one.”

“Vertical Farming” by Arie Basuki. Winner, Vision of the Future.
Location: Depok, Indonesia
“Officers maintain vegetable crops in a warehouse at Sentra Farm. Various vegetables such as curly lettuce, romaine, oclave green, siiomak, kailan and others are cultured in a room where the light and temperature remain stable. The advantage of vertical farming is that it is free of pesticides with a harvest period of only 30 days and an average yield of 20 to 30 kg of vegetables / day.”

“Beautiful But Hostile Colours On Earth” by Fayz Khan. Winner, Young Environmental Photographer of the Year.
Location: Southern Rift Valley, Kenya
“Lesser flamingoes photographed over Lake Magadi and Lake Natron. The two water bodies were once a single freshwater lake but today the two lakes are highly concentrated salt pans, severely alkaline and toxic to most forms of animal and plant life. The lesser flamingoes are an exception because of their biological makeup, and the birds love to feed on the algae that thrive on the surface. As beautiful as the colors may be, the different hues relate to the algae which change in color as a result of reacting to the differing levels of the alkaline content of the lakes.”

“Always A Little Further…..” by Nigel Wallace-Iles. Longlist, Vision of the Future
Location: Mount Everest, Nepal
“This image was captured on an Everest Base Camp Trek. As we were leading into BC, we stopped for a moment to allow the Sherpas to pass with their convoy of yaks, taking the supplies of LPG to the main base camp. The image, for me, captured the juxtaposition of what we as humans are capable of achieving with determination, and the damage we do in pursuit of those achievements. It was a poignant moment for me considering the pristine environment we were in and also highlighted the intricate interconnected nature of development, poverty within the Sherpa communities, equality, security and climate action. It also made me question why, and how, we are able to focus so hard on achieving certain things and yet so many are unwilling to accept the unprecedented effort required from all sectors of society to address the defining issues of our time.”

“People At Work” by Jignesh Chavda. Longlist, Vision of the Future.
Location: Ahmedabad, India
“A group of electricians repair a power line in the late evening, after a cyclone hit the city.”

“The Pollution Crisis In Bangladesh” by Kazi Md. Jahirul Islam. Longlist, Recovering Nature.
Location: Chittagong, Bangladesh
” People start fires on garbage dumps to find the iron pieces that remain, which they can sell on the market. The burning plastic generates smoke and gas. I often go to this garbage dump to take photos. This man collects different kinds of iron pieces or breakers from the garbage heap to sell them. Air pollution in Bangladesh is the worst in the world, reducing the average Bangladeshi's life expectancy by 6.7 years. Another study estimates there were 24,000 premature deaths as a result of air pollution in Bangladesh.”

“Lithium Evaporation Ponds” by Matjaz Krivic. Finalist, Vision of the Future
Location: Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
“Bolivia's YLB industrial lithium production plant pumps lithium-rich brine into these large evaporation pools on the southern edge of the Salar de Uyuni, where it is left to evaporate for many months. Lithium is the core component of modern batteries. The supply of lithium is not fast enough to accommodate the demand, with Chinese, Australian and American corporations buying lithium mines around the world. Locals are amongst the most vocal critics. Evaporation ponds draw heavily on the already scarce water resources in a dry and high-altitude region. Lithium pollution is an increasing problem wherever it is mined.”

“Environment Friendly Construction Under The Ground” by Md Shafiul Islam. Finalist, Vision of the Future

“The Chimneys” by Pawel Zygmunt. Longlist, Adapting for Tomorrow
Location: Dublin, Ireland
“Panoramic view of Dublin Port entrance with old Poolbeg Power Plant. In 2006, the ESB advised of its intention to withdraw approximately 1,300 MW of total Irish electricity capacity by 2011. This effectively reduced the electricity capacity in the country from 6,437 MW to 5,150 MW. The closure was aimed at the older inefficient power stations in Ireland, such as the 3 thermal units at Poolbeg Generating Station that can generate a combined 461 MW of electricity capacity. The newer 460 MW combined cycle fossil gas turbine at Poolbeg would remain operational.”

“Naturalia: Chronicle Of Contemporary Ruins” by Jonathan “Jonk” Jimenez. Winner, Recovering Nature.
Location: Pisa, Italy
“The photographer wants to ask a fundamental question: what is the place of mankind on Earth and what is our relationship with nature? Far from being pessimistic, and at a time when humanity's domination over nature has never been so extreme, this photo aims to wake our consciousness.”

“The Climate Change Effect” by Solayman Hossain. Longlist, Keeping 1.5 Alive.
Location: Kushtia District, Bangladesh
“During the monsoon season the river rises and the village is flooded. The flood also means there is a shortage of food for the animals, which have to be guided to look elsewhere.”

“A Story Of A Dried River” by Azim Khan Ronnie. Longlist, Keeping 1.5 Alive
Location: Manikganj, Bangladesh
“The once vibrant Kaliganga river has almost dried up in the Tora Bridge area of Manikganj, Bangladesh. The level of water in the river remains very low throughout the year, except during the rainy season. Several chars have emerged from the 78km-long water body. Green activists blame encroachment on river land and absence of dredging for the poor state of the river. These were the places where big boats and launches used to ply in the 1960s, said locals.”

“Chemical Explosion” by Subrata Dey. Winner, Keeping 1.5 Alive.
Location: Sitakunda, Bangladesh
“A chemical explosion and fire at BM container depot Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong at 4th June 2024. 49 people were confirmed dead in the blaze, and the mixing of chemicals in the air and water has a devastating effect on the environment. The explosion at the depot spilled plastic containers into the nearby river, where the chemical-laced water entered the aquifer and destroyed the fresh water supply.”

“Drying Paddy” by Dibyendu Biswas. Longlist, Adapting for Tomorrow.
Location: Kalna, India
“Manual paddy drying has become a very rare thing, but it is still practiced by the people of Kalna Village. Modernization would mean that all these manual laborers become jobless. This method of manual paddy drying is also environment friendly.”

“Balam—The Endangered King of the Mayan Jungle” by Fernando Constantino Martinez Belmar. Winner, Photographer of the Year – Portfolio.
“A Jaguar walks past a camera trap in the Mayan jungle of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Balam (Jaguar in the Mayan language) is a species of high cultural and ecological significance in Mexico. The apex predator requires large tracts of land to survive and is considered a great indicator of the region's ecological health. Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, illegal hunting, habitat fragmentation, and destruction have seen an increase in negative interactions between the cat and humans. As their habitats reduce, and therefore, their prey population base, jaguars are forced to approach human settlements to feed on livestock, which rarely bodes well for the big cat. Despite all this, there are people dedicated to the study and conservation of these cats, which allows for developing strategies to preserve their natural habitats and mitigate the negative impacts of human actions.”

“Jailbreak” by Kapil Sharma and Yogendra Satam. Winner, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat.
“Barn Owls on window sills, inside abandoned buildings, chimneys or even in a mall! We have seen them all. The most widespread land bird species does not take its title lightly. But here, the bird seems to be seeking refuge in a rather unusual location. The camera trap image shows a Barn Owl flying into an abandoned Mumbai Police van. Well, if you are looking for a safe habitat!”

“Burnt Violet” by Ashane Marasinghe. Jury Selection, Creative Nature Photography.
“The Sri Lanka Junglefowl is an endemic species that is a common sight across the island nation. A stunning burnt orange plumage with dark streaks, and an iridescent, glossy black tail, junglefowls are a sight for sore eyes. This close-up photograph of its wing is a confounding play of colors, almost hypnotizing, if not for a certain photobombing winged friend.”

“She’s Like the Wind” by KM Anand. Winner, Animal Portraits.
“A female Purple Sunbird prepares to take off from the edge of a curved coconut frond, creating the illusion that her tiny body is heavy enough to bend the leaf and use it as a launchpad to throw her into the lightness of flight.”

“Heart of Pink” by Raj Mohan T. Jury Selection, Creative Nature Photography.
“A bird's eye view of a wetland shows a large colony of flamingos shaped almost like a heart as it charges back and forth in a tight-knit formation—a courtship dance known as marching. Alongside the busy flamboyance are quickly accumulating algal populations that rob aquatic life of precious oxygen.”

“Heat Tasting” by Sandeep Das. Jury Selection, Animal Portraits.
“Sandeep captured the flick of an Anamalai Pit Viper's tongue using the rear curtain sync mode, whereby the flash is fired at the end of the exposure, thereby capturing the complete motion trail. Pit vipers stick out their tongue to collect scents, and when drawn back in, it comes in contact with the Jacobson's organ on the roof of the mouth, helping in smell detection.”

“Cloaked In Lilac” by Sanjay Nair. Jury Selection, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat.
“Yes, this is a pretty image with the tiger's stripes standing out in the middle of the purple water hyacinth flowers. But these invasive plants are notorious for displacing native plant species within water bodies while reducing oxygen levels. As seen in the image, even protected areas like national parks and tiger reserves are not immune to their impacts.”

“A Thorny Issue” by Kapil Sharma. Winner, Conservation Focus.
“The salt pans of the Little Rann of Kutch play host to a diverse range of fauna. A growing feral dog population in the region has become a significant cause for concern, as portrayed in this image of two dogs attacking an Indian Crested Porcupine. It is also a potent reminder that feral dogs are not selective and affect wildlife across species.”

“The Seven Moons of Sahara” by Kai Kolodziej. Winner, Creative Nature Photography.
“The Horned Desert Viper or Saharan Horned Viper is one of the most commonly seen snakes in the North African and Middle Eastern deserts. This stunning silhouette against the city lights illustrates the signature ‘horns' of the reptile, its most distinguishing feature. The so-called horns are a single scale present above each eye.”

“Ka Pow!” by Karthikeyan Ponnambalamoorthy. Jury Selection, Animal Behaviour.
“Here's how it works in the world of the Grey-headed Swamphen. When breeding groups encounter an intruder in their territory, the first displays of threat include raising wings, bending down and flapping tails. If that doesn't work, then it's time to be a bit more dramatic. The opponents fly at each other feet-first and peck their way to victory.”

“Tranquillity” by Lakshitha Karunarathna. Jury Selection, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat.
“If you ever decide to capture serenity in one frame, here it is! Whooper Swans need ample space and spend a lot of their time swimming and foraging for food. But don't be fooled by the calmness that the image exuberates. These large birds are equally boisterous.”

“Jaws-ome” by Magnus Lundgren. Winner, Animal Portraits.
“The Caribbean Reef Shark is an impressive and fast hunter. With the help of a long shutter speed, two underwater strobes and some speedy camera movement, the photographer created this breathtaking portrait of the dynamic apex predator. Sharks are a protected species in the Bahamian reefs, like in many other parts of the world's oceans, yet 80-100 million sharks get killed every year. A strong market demand for shark fins is the main driver. In order for shark conservation to be a success, Magnus believes that there needs to be an understanding that living sharks hold a greater value than dead ones.”

“Where the Giants Roam” by Lalith Ekanayake. Winner, Animal Portraits.
“Elephants are a common sight along the river and in the paddy fields of Sri Lanka's north-central province. The farmers are happy to allow these gentle giants to enter their paddy fields after harvest. But they do everything possible to chase away the pachyderms during the crop season. This aerial shot of a massive tusker beautifully captures its larger shadow against the riverbank decorated with the footprints of his herd.”

“Chaos Theory” by Nejib Ahmed. Winner, Conservation Focus.
“While it's often difficult to decode a conflict situation, one thing is for sure—fear fuels it from both ends. On spotting a tigress resting near the paddy fields, the villagers of Borsola near Orang Tiger Reserve panicked and began pelting stones at the felid. They also set fire to dry paddy, further agitating the animal. While the tigress ran amok, so did the people trying to flee the area. One villager tried to confront the animal and was inflicted with minor injuries. The tigress eventually retreated into the forest. The image portrays the ground realities of human-tiger conflict and emphazises the need for empowering local communities to manage these situations.”

“Termite Control” by Mangesh R Desai. Winner, Animal Behaviour.
“Look up images of hyenas hunting and you will most likely find scenes of a pack feeding on carcasses of animals like antelopes, wildebeest or even lions! Yep, a pack of hyenas can take on some large animals. But here, a Spotted Hyena has climbed on top of a termite hill, to make the most of what was available. What can we say? Some days you fight, and some days you termite!”

“Higher Up the Food Chain” by Jomtup Charoenlapnumchai. Winner, Young Photographer.
“Jomtup observed the bats leaving their caves every evening in order to feed. Around the same time, the hawks would emerge to capture their prey—the bats. Being opportunistic feeders, hawks eat everything from rodents, small birds, insects to bats!”

“A Full Meal” by Joshua Barton. Winner, Animal Behaviour.
“If you think about it, it's quite a conundrum for sea snakes. These marine serpents are surrounded by their prey, but in a world of coral reefs, rock crevices and quick maneuvers, to make an actual catch requires additional skills. Sea snakes are highly venomous and let their bite do most of the work. Here, a Striped Sea Snake latches onto its catch, making for a rare documentation of the reptile in action in the open sea.”

“Wings Of Life and Death” by Anirban Dutta. Winner, Creative Nature Photography.
“At the start of the monsoon, as the first rains lash down on scorched earth, winged termites or alates emerge in huge numbers, with the singular purpose of breeding in what is known as the nuptial flight. Bright lights confuse the navigational systems of most animals, and it is common to see swarms of alates flying around street lamps. Anirban chanced upon a termite swarm near the local petrol bunk when suddenly a Black Drongo swooped in to feast on the termites. The whole thing was over in 15-20 minutes. The winged termites vanished, and so did the drongo.”

“Brisa Suave” by Benjamin Briones Grandi (Chile). Winner, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Flooded Cave” by Martin Broen (USA). Winner, International Landscape Photograph of the Year.

“Under the Rainbow” by Tony Wang (China). Runner-Up, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Dusk of the Alpine E” by Mitja Kobal (Austria). Runner-Up, International Landscape Photograph of the Year.

“The Network” by Gheorghe Popa (Romania). The Abstract Aerial Award 2022.

“The Old Tree” by Jose D. Riquelme (Spain). The Amazing Cloud Award 2022.

“Unyielding Life” by Tony Wang (China). Runner-Up, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Sun in the Winter” by Max Rive (Netherlands). Third Place, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Conversion” by Benjamin Briones Grandi (Chile). Winner, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Paternidad” by Benjamin Briones Grandi (Chile). Winner, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Unyielding Life” by Max Rive (Netherlands). Third Place, International Landscape Photographer of the Year.

“Project Green Glow” by Daniel Laan (Netherlands). The Black & White Award 2022

“Lost Sea” by Julien Delaval (France). The Seascape Award 2022.

“Frozen” by Koki Dote (Japan). The Snow & Ice Award 2022.

“Caribbean crèche” by Claudio Contreras Koob, Mexico.
“Claudio was lying down on the mud a safe distance from a breeding colony of Caribbean, or American, flamingos, in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. It was June and the flamingo chicks had already left their nests and were in crèches. These crèches are always guarded by adult birds, so when the chicks began to approach Claudio, the adults surrounded them and gently headed them back into the colony.
Although flamingo population numbers are stable, they are highly sensitive to changes in the environment, such as flooding of their nesting sites, and it is unclear how they will cope with the effects of climate change.”

“Portrait of Olobor” by Marina Cano, Spain.
“It was late afternoon when Marina found Olobor resting. He is one of the famous five-strong coalition of males in the Black Rock pride in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.
All around the lion, the ground was black, having been burnt by local Maasai herdsmen to stimulate a new flush of grass. Marina wanted to capture his majestic and defiant look against the dark background and lowered her camera out of her vehicle to get an eye-level portrait.”

“A golden huddle” by Minqiang Lu, China.
“Two females and a male golden snub-nosed monkey huddle together to keep warm in the extreme winter cold. Threatened mainly by forest loss and fragmentation, this endangered species is confined to central China. Restricted to living high up in the temperate forests, these monkeys – here in the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi province – feed mostly in the trees, on leaves, bark, buds and lichen.
Minqiang knew the area where a troop of monkeys often rested and, in heavy wind and snow, he walked up the mountain for almost an hour carrying his photographic equipment. Photographing from a slope opposite the tree in which the group was huddled, he stayed put for half an hour in temperatures of -10°C (14°F) before he was able to achieve this eye-level composition.”

“The frog with the ruby eyes” by Jaime Culebras, Spain
“The calls of the male Mindo glass frogs could be heard all around this female, who was sitting quietly on a leaf. These frogs are confident around humans, and if you don't disturb them, you can set up your equipment nearby. Jaime thought this frog had the most beautiful ‘ruby’ eyes, so he carefully moved his camera, tripod and flashes to be close enough to capture a portrait that would highlight them.
Only found in northwest Ecuador, in the Río Manduriacu Reserve in the foothills of the Andes, these frogs are endangered by habitat loss associated with mining and logging.”

“World of the snow leopard” by Sascha Fonseca, Germany.
“Against a backdrop of the spectacular mountains of Ladakh in northern India, a snow leopard has been caught in a perfect pose by Sascha’s carefully positioned camera trap. Thick snow blankets the ground, but the big cat’s dense coat and furry footpads keep it warm.
Sascha captured this image during a three-year bait-free camera-trap project high up in the Indian Himalayas. He has always been fascinated by snow leopards, not only because of their incredible stealth but also because of their remote environment, making them one of the most difficult large cats to photograph in the wild.”

“A fox’s tale” by Simon Withyman, UK.
“Simon wanted this photograph to raise awareness of the harm humans can inadvertently cause to wildlife. In the UK city of Bristol, a young red fox sustained a serious injury trying to free herself from plastic barrier netting commonly used as fencing on building sites.
The remains were still embedded in her body when this image was taken, hindering her ability to hunt. Local residents left out food for the vixen – here, a chicken leg. After five months, she was caught, treated and released. But tragically, six months later, she was hit by a car and died.”

“Fox affection” by Brittany Crossman, Canada.
“On a chilly day in North Shore on Prince Edward Island, Canada, a pair of red foxes, greet one another with an intimate nuzzle.
The red fox’s mating season is in the winter, and it is not uncommon to see them together prior to denning. This special moment is one of Brittany’s favorite images and one of the tenderest moments she has witnessed between adult foxes.”

“Red and yellow” by Chloé Bès, France.
“Near Rausu port, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, several hundred glaucous-winged gulls waited for the return of fishermen. It was the beginning of March and freezing, and the air was full of the raucous calls of the gulls overhead. Some of the birds began to settle, keeping their eyes on the horizon.
Focussing on one bird, Chloé composed a minimalist portrait, highlighting the eye and the beak. The red spot on the beak develops when gulls are adult and is in part a reflection of their health. It is also an essential aid for the young: when chicks peck the spot, it triggers a regurgitation reaction from the parent.”

“Caught by the cat” by Michał Michlewicz, Poland.
“Michał had noticed a lot of animals were visiting this abandoned barn in Radolinek, a small village in western Poland, probably following the scent of rodent prey. With the use of his trail cam, Michał logged a badger, a fox and a marten, but also a lot of cat activity.
Setting up a camera trap just inside the barn, facing the entrance, he waited to see what would trigger it. Luckily, though not for this chaffinch, a domestic cat arrived with its fresh kill. Michał is keen his image is used to illustrate the impact domestic cats can have on a local ecosystem.”

“Hyena highway” by Sam Rowley, UK.
“Spotted hyenas are intelligent and opportunistic animals. On the outskirts of cities such as Harar in Ethiopia, they take advantage of what humans leave behind, including bones and rotting meat. In so doing, the hyenas keep disease at bay, and in exchange the Harar locals tolerate them, even leaving them butcher’s scraps.
These hyenas are from the family group known as the Highway Clan. To photograph them, Sam set up a remote camera by a roadkill carcass. He captured the lowest-ranking member of the clan after the dominant members, visible in the background, had sauntered off.”

“Among the flowers” by Martin Gregus, Canada.
“Martin watched this polar bear cub playing in a mass of fireweed on the coast of Hudson Bay, Canada. Every so often the cub would take a break from its fun, stand on its hind legs and poke its head up above the high flowers to look for its mother.
Wanting to capture the world from the cub’s angle, Martin placed his camera – in an underwater housing, for protection against investigating bears – at ground level among the fireweed. He then waited patiently a safe distance away with a remote trigger. Not being able to see exactly what was happening, Martin had to judge just the right moment when the bear would pop up in the camera frame.”

“Heads or tails?” by Jodi Frediani, USA.
“The unusually clear, flat sea in Monterey Bay, California, provided a beautiful turquoise backdrop for the glossy bodies of three northern right whale dolphins. But it was only thanks to a thoughtful stranger that Jodi got her special shot of two adult heads and the silvery tail of a juvenile.
Seeing Jodi's interest and camera, the young woman gave up her place at the bow of the boat below which the dolphins were enjoying riding the bow wave. These dolphins are atypical in appearance, with short, pointy beaks, sloping foreheads and no dorsal fins. They are quick and extremely athletic, often flying high out of the water in graceful leaps.”

“Head to head” by Miquel Angel Artús Illana, Spain.
“The spectacle of two female muskoxen attacking each other surprised Miquel. For four days, he had been following a muskox family in Norway’s Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park – a male, a female and three calves. On a beautiful high plateau, another similar-sized family of muskox appeared.
Expecting a male head-to-head (it was September and the females were in heat), he was disappointed when the two males came to an immediate understanding and the weaker one backed off. It was then that the two females began their short but intense fight, the action of which he caught on camera.”

“Snowshoe hare stare” by Deena Sveinsson, USA.
“Deena was snowshoeing deep in the forests of the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, in the US, hoping to find some winter wildlife to photograph. Frozen, she reluctantly headed for home.
Only then did something catch her eye – a snowshoe hare resting on a small mound of snow. Moving stealthily into position, Deena waited. Finally, the hare sensed something, turned its ears forward and looked right at the camera.”

“A tight grip” by Nicholas More, UK.
“This male Bargibant's seahorse, gripping tightly with his prehensile tail to a pink sea fan, looks almost ready to pop. He will gestate for a period of approximately two weeks before giving birth to miniature live young.
Nicholas had the help of a guide who knew exactly where off the coast of Bali and on which sea fans to find Bargibant's seahorses. This individual was one of three on the same sea-fan. Bargibant's seahorses are barely visible due to their tiny size (1–2 centimeters tall – ¼ to ¾ inch) and tend to stay very still. Their ability to mimic their host's colors and knobbly texture is only revealed in detail under high magnification.”

“That’s the spot!” by Richard Flack, South Africa.
“In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, in the vicinity of a rest camp, Richard discovered a flock of crested guineafowl that were not as flighty as normal and allowed him to follow them as they foraged.
One of the guineafowl started to scratch another’s head and ear, and the recipient stood there motionless for a few moments with its mouth open and eyes wide, as if to say ‘that’s the spot, keep going’. Richard muses, ‘It’s not often you get to capture emotion in the faces of birds . . . but there was no doubt – that was one satisfied guineafowl!’”

“The elusive golden cat” by Sebastian Kennerknecht, USA.
“Before this image was captured, Sebastian and his biologist friend, David Mills, were almost trampled in the dense rainforest of Kibale National Park in Uganda by a charging forest elephant.
Returning to the same area, they set up a camera trap with the goal of photographing the rare and elusive African golden cat. About twice the size of a domestic cat, it is one of the world’s least-studied felids. To date, there are still less than five high-resolution photographs of this cat in the wild.”

“Unlucky for the cat” by Sebastian Kennerknecht, USA.
“Hanging in a shed this stuffed cat skin may at first appear like the other objects, inconsequential, but the colorful yarns tied to it reveal it is not merely a disused item. The relationship between the Andean cat and its human neighbors is complex.
Though the cats are celebrated as mountain guardians, they are also considered good luck for the fertility of livestock, and for this they are killed and sometimes worn during ceremonies to induce an abundant year. This stuffed specimen turned out to be the closest Sebastian would come to South America’s most endangered wild cat.”

“Night encounter” by Sami Vartiainen, Finland.
“It was late in the evening in August, and the air had a magical feel about it when Sami spotted this badger close to its sett in a forest near Helsinki, Finland. He watched it for 45 minutes. The badger didn’t seem to be perturbed, even though Sami was only about 7 meters (23 feet) away.
It sniffed the air, lay on the ground and scratched or walked a short distance away, and a few times went into its sett, always turning to look back in Sami's direction. Finally, when it was virtually dark, the badger headed off into the night in search of food.”

“Wasp attack” by Roberto García-Roa, Spain.
“The frenzied combat between the pompilid wasp and the ornate Ctenus spider suddenly stopped. An intense calm invaded the scene, said Roberto, who had been watching the battle unfold in the Peruvian jungle of Tambopata.
The image shows the wasp checking the spider to confirm if its sting has paralyzed the dangerous prey, before dragging it back to its brood nest. Wasps of the Pompilidae family are called spider wasps because the females specialize in hunting spiders, which are used as living food for their offspring.”

“Fishing for glass eels” by Eladio Fernandez, Dominican Republic.
“Eladio set out to highlight the plight of the endangered American eel. Caught in its juvenile stage, as glass eels, it is exported in the millions each year to fulfill an insatiable Asian – particularly Japanese – demand. On the coast of the Dominican Republic, over five months, hundreds of fishermen gather around the estuaries from dawn to dusk to catch the little eels.
These larvae have migrated from the Sargasso Sea, where the adult eels spawn. With the species in steep decline, the US fishery is now tightly controlled, leaving the Caribbean to take over as the major exporter but without regulations. The image took Eladio many nights of trial and error, using a long exposure to catch the precise moment that the fishermen raised their nets out of the incoming waves.”

“Holding on” by Igor Altuna, Spain.
“This leopardess had killed a Kinda baboon in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. The baboon’s baby was still alive and clinging to its mother. Igor watched as the predator walked calmly back to her own baby. Her cub played with the baby baboon for more than an hour before killing it, almost as if it had been given live prey as a hunting lesson.”

“Covid litter” by Auke-Florian Hiemstra, Netherlands.
“A young perch was found trapped in the thumb of this surgical glove discarded in a canal in The Netherlands. Since the onslaught of Covid-19, gloves and face masks have littered land and sea.
This perch was found by citizen scientists on a weekly canal clean-up in Leiden. The spines on its back prevented the fish from escaping by backing out – the torn thumb probably the sign of its final struggle. The glove formed the basis of a scientific study that has documented the range of animals impacted by Covid-19 waste during the pandemic – in this case, it’s the material that helped protect us that has proved to be a danger to wildlife.”

“Coastline wolf” by Bertie Gregory, UK.
“While out in his dinghy looking for black bears, Bertie spotted this female grey wolf trotting along the shoreline on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada. Taking a big wide arch, he looped around ahead of where he expected her to go.
He then set up his remote camera, before getting back in the dinghy and backing off. The wolf was patrolling her eel-grass-covered mudflat territory at low tide, and walked right past the camera, allowing Bertie to take this shot with the remote trigger. Sadly, this Vancouver Island wolf was later killed by a man who claimed to be protecting people’s pets.”

“Life and art” by Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal, Spain.
“Walking down a street in his hometown of Corella in northern Spain, Eduardo came across a wall with a graffiti cat, complete with shadow. Knowing that common wall geckos emerge on hot summer nights to look for mosquitoes and other insects, Eduardo came back with his camera and waited patiently for the perfect picture – the hunter becoming prey to the trompe l'oeil cat.”