The 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition captivated audiences once again, unveiling a stunning selection of images that reveal the beauty, complexity, and vulnerability of our natural world. This year’s competition saw an impressive 59,228 submissions from photographers across 117 countries, each offering a unique lens into the diversity of wildlife and the critical need for conservation. The top prize was awarded to Canadian marine conservation photojournalist Shane Gross for his breathtaking image, “The Swarm of Life,” which captures a mesmerizing underwater scene of western toad tadpoles swimming beneath lily pads.

Other winning images showcased powerful moments from across the globe, such as Karine Aigner’s “Wetland Wrestle,” a dramatic encounter between a yellow anaconda and a yacaré caiman, and Igor Metelskiy’s “Frontier of the Lynx,” portraying a lynx basking in the evening light against a vast wilderness backdrop. These photos, along with 97 other selected works, will be on display at London’s Natural History Museum until June 29, 2025. Together, these images convey the intricate relationships and fragile balance within ecosystems, offering viewers a glimpse into worlds often hidden and inspiring a deeper commitment to protecting the natural world through the power of photography.

Overall Winner: “The Swarm Of Life” By Shane Gross, Canada

“Shane Gross looks under the surface layer of lily pads as a mass of western toad tadpoles swim past. Shane snorkelled in the lake for several hours, through carpets of lily pads.

Winner, Behaviour: Amphibians And Reptiles: “Wetland Wrestle” By Karine Aigner, USA

Karine Aigner recognises the skin of a yellow anaconda as it coils itself around the snout of a yacaré caiman.

Winner, Animals In Their Environment: “Frontier Of The Lynx” By Igor Metelskiy, Russia

Igor Metelskiy shows a lynx stretching in the early evening sunshine, its body mirroring the undulating wilderness.

Winner, Behaviour: Birds: “Practice Makes Perfect” By Jack Zhi, USA

Jack Zhi enjoys watching a young falcon practicing its hunting skills on a butterfly, above its sea-cliff nest.

Winner, Behaviour: Invertebrates: “The Demolition Squad” By Ingo Arndt, Germany

Ingo Arndt documents the efficient dismemberment of a blue ground beetle by wood ants.

Winner, Animal Portraits: “On Watch” By John E Marriott, Canada

John E Marriott frames a lynx resting, with its fully grown young sheltering from the cold wind behind it.

Winner, Behaviour: Mammals: “Tranquil Moment” By Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka

Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod finds this serene scene of a young toque macaque sleeping in an adult’s arms.

Winner, Impact Award: “Hope For The Ninu” By Jannico Kelk, Australia

Jannico Kelk illuminates a ninu, with the wire grass and shrubs behind it providing a frame against the darkness.

Winner, 15-17 Years: “Life Under Dead Wood” By Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany

Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas rolls a log over to see the fruiting bodies of slime mold and a tiny springtail.
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