Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcases the world’s most breathtaking nature photography. View the top 100 images from the world-renowned competition and discover the stories behind them at the Natural History Museum from 17th October 2025 to 12th July 2026. Explore insightful captions and films revealing how the images highlight critical conservation issues. Book your visit today and step into the heart of nature’s most powerful moments.
This image captured by macro wildlife photographer Bidyut Kalita and was among the runners-up or ‘highly commended’ entries in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Title: No Place Like Home Photographer: Emmanuel Tardy (France) Location: El Tanque, San Carlos, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
A brown‑throated three‑toed sloth clings to a barbed wire post after crossing a road. As their habitats become fragmented due to tree loss, sloths are forced to make more ground crossings to reach the next tree, leaving them vulnerable.
Title: Ice Edge Journey Photographer: Bertie Gregory (UK) Location: Ekström Ice Shelf, Atka Bay, Antarctica.
A group of fledgling emperor penguin chicks teeter on the edge of an ice shelf. After spending two months observing the colony, Bertie Gregory saw most chicks using natural ice ramps to descend safely to the sea – but this group had missed the easier route down. Left to fend for themselves, emperor penguin chicks must eventually take a leap into the icy ocean for their first attempt at feeding. Scientists believe that the decline in sea ice may force penguins to breed on ice shelves, making leaps like this a more common thing.
Title: Slime Family Portrait Photographer: Kutub Uddin (Bangladesh/UK) Location: Slindon Wood, West Sussex, England, UK.
Mr Uddin discovered a grouping of slime moulds arranged on a fallen log in a forest. He described the scene as a “bizarre family portrait,” complete with a tiny yellow insect egg. A slime mould consists of mobile, single-celled, amoeba-like organisms that live independently but can come together to function as a single entity in order to find food and reproduce.
Title: Rutting Call Photographer: Jamie Smart (UK) Location: Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, UK.
A red deer stag bellows during the autumn rut at Bradgate Park, as captured by Miss Smart from a safe distance. She avoided long grass by stretching upwards to keep the view clear. The stag’s antlers, now fully hardened and velvet‑free, regrow each spring, becoming more impressive with each year as new points called tines develop.
Title: Inside the Pack Photographer: Amit Eshel (Israel) Location: Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada.
Eye‑level with an inquisitive Arctic wolf pack in −35 C, Mr Eshel fulfilled his dream to photograph these elusive creatures. The wolves came so close he could smell their breath. Arctic wolves, found only in Canada’s north and northern Greenland, are curious of humans due to minimal exposure.
The winning images will be announced on 14th October, followed by an exhibition at the Natural History Museum showcasing 100 standout photographs from around the world.
See also: British Art Fair Returns in September
