Here Is A Sneak Peek Inside The World’s Biggest Wildlife Photography Competition (15 Pics)
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, organized annually by the Natural History Museum in London, is widely regarded as the most prestigious event in the world of nature photography. Now in its 61st edition, the competition continues to inspire awe while raising awareness about the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
While the grand title winners won’t be announced until October 14, 2025, the Museum has already unveiled a selection of 15 highly commended photographs, offering the public a first glimpse into this year’s extraordinary talent. These images, chosen from tens of thousands of entries submitted by photographers across the globe, capture rare moments of life in the wild, revealing both the majesty and vulnerability of our planet’s biodiversity.
From breathtaking underwater scenes to intimate portraits of animals in their natural habitats, these photographs showcase not only technical mastery but also the deeper stories of survival, adaptation, and coexistence. Here are some of the themes that stand out in the 15 highly commended works.
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#1 Wake-up Call by Gabriella Comi (Italy), Highly Commended, Animal Portraits | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#2 Clouds of Gold by Jassen Todorov (USA), Highly Commended, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#3 Nature Reclaims Its Space by Sitaram Raul (India), Highly Commended, Urban Wildlife | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#4 Inside the Pack by Amit Eshel (Israel), Highly Commended, Animal Portraits | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#5 Jelly Smack Summer by Ralph Pace (USA), Highly Commended, Underwater | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#6 A Tale of Two Coyotes by Parham Pourahmad (USA), Highly Commended, 11-14 Years | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#7 Slime Family Portrait by Kutub Uddin (Bangladesh), Highly Commended, Natural Artistry | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#8 Fragile River of Life by Isaac Szabo (USA), Highly Commended, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#9 Deadly Lessons by Marina Cano (Spain), Highly Commended, Behavior: Mammals | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#10 Toxic Tip by Lakshitha Karunarathna (Sri Lanka), Highly Commended, Photojournalism | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#11 Pink Pose by Leana Kuster (Switzerland), Highly Commended, 15-17 Years | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#12 Essence of Kamchatka by Kesshav Vikram (India), Highly Commended, 11-14 Years | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#13 Rutting Call by Jamie Smart (United Kingdom), Highly Commended, 10 Years and Under | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#14 No Place Like Home by Emmanuel Tardy (France), Highly Commended, Urban Wildlife | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image source: National History Museum
#15 Ice Edge Journey by Bertie Gregory (United Kingdom), Highly Commended, Animals in their Environment | Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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