Winners of Rewilding Europe Award Seize the Enduring Optimism of Conservation Photography

The German Society for Nature Photography (GDT) has introduced the winners of its Rewilding Europe Award 2025. The award acknowledges probably the most compelling pictures capturing Europe’s recovering wild landscapes and wildlife, demonstrating the ability of pictures to inform tales of resilience and conservation throughout the continent.

A Striking Image of Recovery

Spanish photographer Jon A. Juárez gained the Rewilding Europe Award for 2025 for his entry, “Comeback of the Atlantic Sturgeon.” Juáurez’s work was praised for its inventive high quality and storytelling energy. His function picture, captured in Sweden throughout the first reintroduction of Atlantic sturgeon in over 120 years, paperwork a milestone second in European conservation.

“Winning this award is a wonderful way to thank the Sportsfiskarna team and to continue sharing their story of hard work and hope,” Juárez says. “It is a story rooted in the idea of rewilding and the belief that it is not too late to make nature a wilder place.”

The judges share that the picture stood out amongst a robust discipline of entries, underscoring the flexibility of pictures to condense years of scientific effort and dedication right into a single, unforgettable body.

Braving the Elements for the Shot

Juárez confronted vital challenges whereas capturing the discharge. Strong currents and murky waters almost prevented him from documenting the occasion.

“Conservationists had worked tirelessly to make this moment possible, and my task was to condense their efforts into a single image,” he explains.

“There were strong currents churning the dark water, and my artificial lights were useless. Then, just in time, the sun broke through and gave me enough light. The team opened the cage and the first sturgeon drifted out slowly, gliding into its new home and into history.”

The Return of the Atlantic Sturgeon

The launch of sturgeon in Sweden marked a turning level in a decades-long worldwide effort to revive the species. Once widespread, Atlantic sturgeon have been pushed to the brink of extinction by overfishing and habitat destruction.

“Given that it takes Atlantic sturgeon over ten years to reach sexual maturity, this critically endangered species’ survival is extremely unlikely without human assistance,” Rewilding Europe explains.

Today, thousands and thousands of larvae have been launched throughout northern Europe, with the hope that this critically endangered fish will finally re-establish self-sustaining populations.

“The return of Atlantic sturgeon to Europe’s degraded freshwater systems is as significant as the return of wolves to the American plains. Jon has skilfully and artfully captured an iconic moment that could eventually lead to the restoration of this species across its historical range,” Judge Peter Cairns emphasizes.

Celebrating Europe’s Rewilding Stories

While Juárez’s sturgeon picture earned high honors, different photographers provided their very own highly effective views on rewilding.

Second-place winner Zoltán Gergely Nagy captured Văcărești Nature Park in Romania from above. Once an deserted development web site, the park has grow to be a thriving wetland within the coronary heart of Bucharest, residence to lots of of species and a retreat for metropolis residents.

“Zoltán’s image is a beautiful representation of the co-existence that is possible between man and nature, even in cities,” says Judge Jen Guyton. “It invites us to rethink our relationship with the natural world and embrace the opportunities that come with nature recovery.”

Among the extremely counseled entries have been Christian-D. Morawitz’s wolves reclaiming a scarred mining panorama in Germany, Marijn Heuts’s underwater portrait of a beaver shaping its habitat, and Jonathan Fieber’s close-up of a bark beetle illustrating the resilience of pure forest ecosystems. Each highlighted the flexibility of wildlife and wild processes to rebound when given the prospect.

A Call to Action Through Photography

For Rewilding Europe, the award is about greater than honoring hanging photographs; it’s about inspiring tangible motion to revive and shield the continent’s wild areas. By highlighting tales of species restoration, habitat restoration, and the transformative energy of rewilding, the award encourages audiences to interact with conservation efforts and acknowledge the affect people can have when nature is allowed to recuperate.

“The Rewilding Europe Award is more than just a photography prize. These images show us what is possible when we restore nature and then let nature take the lead. They are a testament to resilience and a call to action for a wilder, healthier future,” says Laurien Holtjer, Director of Engagement and Public Relations.

The successful and counseled pictures supply concrete examples of how rewilding initiatives are reshaping landscapes, from rivers and wetlands to forests and concrete inexperienced areas. Each picture tells a narrative of persistence and hope, demonstrating that when people assist conservation, ecosystems can rebound and thrive. In this manner, the award serves as each a celebration of inventive excellence and a platform to lift consciousness in regards to the pressing want to guard Europe’s pure heritage.

By presenting these photographs to the general public, by exhibitions, media protection, and on-line platforms, Rewilding Europe goals to encourage policymakers, organizations, and people alike to take significant steps towards a wilder, extra resilient continent. The visible storytelling captured by photographers interprets advanced conservation efforts into highly effective, accessible narratives that may encourage communities and decision-makers to behave in assist of nature’s comeback.

Looking Ahead

The successful pictures might be celebrated on the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 awards ceremony throughout the GDT International Nature Photography Festival in Lünen, Germany, from October 24 to 26. All awarded works might be featured in a touring exhibition throughout Europe. The exhibition will introduce broad audiences to the tales of resilience and restoration captured in these photographs and encourage engagement with rewilding initiatives throughout the continent.

Through this award, Rewilding Europe continues to focus on the ability of pictures to speak the progress and potential of conservation, reminding audiences that nature’s comeback is feasible when people assist and shield it.

Image credit: German Society for Nature Photography (GDT). Individual photographers are credited within the picture captions.