Austrian photographer Josef Stefan has received the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award 2026, following a report 85,917 public votes from world wide.
Flying Rodent Josef Stefan (Austria) Winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026. A younger Iberian lynx playfully throws a rodent into the air earlier than killing and devouring it. Josef has wished to {photograph} lynxes for a very long time. He was delighted when the chance arose to spend two weeks observing them from a conceal at Torre de Juan Abad, Ciudad Real, Spain. It’s widespread for younger lynxes to play with their prey earlier than killing it. This one repeatedly threw the rodent excessive within the air and caught it once more. To Josef, it seemed as if the rodent may fly. The entire recreation lasted about 20 minutes earlier than the lynx bought bored. It then took the rodent behind a bush and ate it.
His picture, Flying Rodent, captures a playful Iberian lynx in Ciudad Real, Spain, tossing a rodent earlier than carrying it behind a bush to eat.
He described the win because the spotlight of his photographic profession.
“The journey to take this image was more than just another photographic adventure. It was the pursuit of a dream: encountering the Iberian lynx, one of the rarest and most endangered wild cats in the world. Winning this award and being able to platform this message is the highlight of my 30 years as a nature photographer.”
“The Iberian lynx is a living symbol of hope, showing what can happen when we take responsibility, act consciously and focus our attention where it’s most needed.”
The award, run by the Natural History Museum, London chosen Stefan’s {photograph} from 23 shortlisted photos chosen out of 60,636 entries from 113 nations.
Family Rest Christopher Paetkau (Canada) Highly Commended within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026. A mom polar bear and her three cubs pause peacefully in the summertime warmth. This kind of scene is getting rarer. The solar is excessive, the land vast and open. The polar bears relaxation after their lengthy journey north alongside the Hudson Bay coast in Canada. Shrinking sea ice is making it tougher for polar bears to hunt and discover meals to outlive in summer time. This is a narrative of endurance and a fleeting second of hope in a world the place survival is something however sure.Never-ending Struggle Kohei Nagira (Japan) Highly Commended within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026. A sika deer carries the interlocked severed head of a rival male that had died after their battle. In autumn, male sika deer battle over females by clashing their antlers. This deer received the battle, however their antlers turned tightly locked and wouldn’t come aside. A neighborhood fisherman says the deer dragged the entire physique for a number of days earlier than lastly tearing off its head. Kohei noticed the deer on Notsuke Peninsula in Hokkaido, Japan, from late November 2020 to April 2021. It was dwelling alone, but it continued to forage for grass and branches and managed to outlive the winter. The picture reveals life and demise certain collectively.
Four different extremely counseled photos included flamingos towards industrial energy strains in Namibia, a mom polar bear with cubs in Canada, two bear cubs play-fighting on a highway, and a sika deer carrying a rival’s severed head.
Dancing within the Headlights Will Nicholls (UK) Highly Commended within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026. A silhouetted pair of younger bear cubs rear up and play-fight in the course of a quiet highway. Bears are a reasonably frequent sight in Jasper National Park, Canada. But cubs are rarer, as moms are inclined to preserve them away from any threats. It’s a fascinating second, but in addition a dangerous one for the playful younger cubs silhouetted towards the glow of automobile headlights. Framed by the darkness of the encircling forest, the scene took on an virtually theatrical really feel for Will. When the lights aligned, he knew it was the picture he was after.Beauty Against the Beast Alexandre Brisson (Switzerland) Highly Commended within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026. A bunch of flamingos stands out towards a stark industrial backdrop of energy strains. After a 10-hour drive, Alexandre arrived at this hen sanctuary in Walvis Bay, Namibia, simply because the solar was setting. The odor from a close-by open-air dump was overwhelming, a pointy distinction to the great thing about the lesser flamingos. He waited for the precise second, hoping to seize them flying between the facility strains. When two of them lastly took off, their sleek flight stood out towards the backdrop. The picture reveals how even areas meant to guard wildlife carry the indicators of human enlargement.
The winner and runners-up will probably be displayed within the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in London till 12 July 2026, with Flying Rodent featured alongside the primary competitors winners.
