The winners of the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year have been introduced, showcasing beautiful pictures from across the globe that spotlight magnificence, behaviour, and resilience throughout the pure world.
The total winner for 2025 was awarded to Wim van den Heever of South Africa, who photographed a haunting scene of a brown hyena among the many skeletal stays of a long-abandoned diamond mining city.
Ghost Town Visitor – Wim van den Heever, Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 / Urban Wildlife. Nikon D810 + 17–35mm f2.8 lens at 17mm; 15 at f2.8; ISO 3200; 2x Nikon SB-800 Speedlight flashes; Camtraptions movement sensor.
Captured with a digicam lure, he says it took him 10 years to lastly get this one single picture of a brown hyena, ‘in probably the most good body possible.’
The rarest hyena species on the planet, brown hyenas are nocturnal and principally solitary. They are identified to cross by way of Kolmanskop on their method to hunt Cape fur seal pups or scavenge for carrion washed ashore alongside the Namib Desert coast.
Closer to house, Australian photographer Georgina Steytler received the Behaviour: Invertebrates class, for her picture Mad Hatterpillar.
Her {photograph} showcases a gum-leaf skeletoniser caterpillar adorned with a particular tower of translucent head capsules, a characteristic it retains after every molt.
Mad Hatterpillar – Georgina Steytler Winner, Behaviour: Invertebrates Georgina Steytler (Australia) showcases the unusual headgear of a gum-leaf skeletoniser caterpillar. Georgina had been searching for this caterpillar for years when she observed eucalyptus timber bearing skeletonised leaves, telltale indicators that the animal had been grazing. She took this picture backlit by the setting solar, utilizing a fill-in flash to light up the dwelling head on the base of the stack. This caterpillar’s uncommon headgear is made up of previous head capsules, every retained with each moult. The ensuing tower is believed to assist deflect assaults by predators.Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III + 90mm f3.5 lens; 1/250 at f22; ISO 500; Godox flash
The successful pictures this yr had been chosen out of 60,636 entries, with photographers from 113 nations and territories submitting their work.
You can see all of the class winners beneath.
Sole Survivor – Luca Lorenz, Germany Winner, Rising Star Award Luca had been watching a tree gap the place this Eurasian pygmy owl and its mate had been nesting. When one disappeared, the opposite continued feeding the chicks. On at the present time, the remaining chicken returned clutching the chicks’ breakfast in its claws, and known as for its mate, however there was no reply. Nikon Z8 + 180–600mm f5.6–6.3 lens at 600mm; 1/125 at f6.3; ISO 2500Taiga Tapestry – Alexey Kharitonov Winner, Portfolio Award for Visions of the North A kaleidoscope of colors carpets Mukhinskoye Swamp underneath a gray sky. Blue lakes and channels fringed with white ice distinction with inexperienced and yellow grasses and widespread sphagnum mosses, which flip vibrant orange and crimson throughout the temporary autumn. DJI Mavic 2 Pro + Hasselblad L1D-20c 28mm f2.8 lens; 1/30 at f2.8 (-0.3 e/v); ISO 100Seething Pit – Javier Aznar González de Rueda Winner, Photojournalist Story Award Visitors stare upon a whole lot of western diamondback rattlesnakes on the annual rattlesnake round-up in Sweetwater, Texas. Many of those snakes might be killed and bought for his or her pores and skin and meat. Round-ups can hurt different animals too: snakes are sometimes pushed from their rock shelters utilizing petrol fumes, which additionally have an effect on any creatures sheltering alongside them. Sony α7R III + 24–70mm f2.8 lens at 44mm; 1/30 at f10; ISO 4000How to Save a Species – Jon A Juárez Winner, Photojournalism Jon A Juárez (Spain) paperwork the groundbreaking science to avoid wasting the northern white rhino from extinction by way of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Jon spent years documenting the work of the BioRescue Project, and says that witnessing a milestone in saving a species ‘was one thing I’ll always remember’. This southern white rhino foetus, which didn’t survive attributable to an an infection, was the results of the primary profitable rhino embryo switch right into a surrogate mom by way of IVF. This breakthrough paves the way in which for saving the uncommon northern white rhino from extinction, as scientists can take the following essential steps in the direction of transferring the primary northern white rhino embryo right into a southern white rhino surrogate. Nikon Z9 + 24–120mm f4 lens at 24mm; 1/400 at f7.1; ISO 1600; LED gentle panelVanishing Pond – Sebastian Frölich Winner, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture Sebastian Frölich (Germany) finds a springtail amongst a galaxy of neon inexperienced fuel bubbles in Austrian moorlands. Sebastian visited this fragile wetland ecosystem to focus on its significance as an enormous retailer of carbon dioxide and as a habitat for numerous wildlife. A tiny springtail ran throughout escaping fuel bubbles rising by way of the algae, giving this picture a way of scale. Austria has misplaced 90 per cent of its peat bogs, and solely 10 per cent of people who stay are in good situation. Platzertal is likely one of the final intact excessive moorlands within the Austrian Alps, and an space famend for its carbon-storing peat bogs. Nikon Z7 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1/800 at f9 (-1.67 e/v); ISO 400Deadly Allure – Chien Lee Winner, Plants and Fungi Chien Lee (Malaysia) makes use of a UV torch to disclose the fluorescent world of an insect-attracting pitcher plant. Insects can see ultraviolet (UV) gentle, however people can’t, so Chien used an extended publicity and a UV torch. Waiting till after sundown, he had only a five-minute window earlier than the ambient gentle illuminating the backdrop disappeared utterly. Some carnivorous pitcher vegetation mirror UV gentle on sure areas as a part of their ‘display’. They use color, scent and nectar to lure their prey into swimming pools of digestive juices on the backside of their leaves. Nikon Z9 + Laowa 15mm f4 macro lens; 30 at f16; ISO 100; Convoy C8 ultraviolet torchCaught within the Headlights – Simone Baumeister Winner, Natural Artistry Simone Baumeister (Germany) exhibits an orb weaver spider on its net on a pedestrian bridge, silhouetted by lights from the vehicles beneath. To obtain this kaleidoscopic impact, Simone reversed one of many six glass components in an analogue lens. This distorted the picture on the edges whereas leaving the centre sharply centered. She then cropped the image to maneuver the spider barely off-centre. In city environments, orb weaver spiders typically spin webs close to synthetic lights that appeal to bugs at night time. The net acts as an extension of their sense organ, gathering sound and transmitting vibrations, together with these of prey, to their legs. Canon EOS R5 + Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 lens + 16mm extension tube; 1/250 at f2.8 (-1.33 e/v); ISO 1250Survival Purse – Ralph Pace Winner, Underwater Ralph Pace (USA) fantastically illuminates the egg case of a swell shark, tethered to the bottom of a large kelp. Faced with robust currents pushing him backward and forward, Ralph struggled to maintain regular to {photograph} this egg case, or ‘mermaid’s purse’. He lit the case from behind to disclose the swell shark embryo inside, its gill slits and yolk sac clearly seen among the many darkish kelp forest. Researchers estimate that kelp forests in Monterey Bay have declined by greater than 95 per cent over the previous 34 years. Swell sharks rely upon kelp to put their leathery eggs, making them particularly susceptible to such losses. Nikon D850 + 28–70mm f3.5–4.5 lens; 1/125 at f14; ISO 640; Nauticam housing; 2x Sea & Sea strobesAlpine Dawn – Lubin Godin Winner, 11–14 Years Lubin Godin (France) finds himself in mist-shrouded mountains with silhouetted ibex. Lubin noticed the Alpine ibex resting above a sea of clouds throughout an early morning ascent. As the mist rose and the solar broke over the crags, he retraced his steps to seize this ethereal second earlier than fog thickened and the sunshine light. Native to Europe, the species was hunted near extinction within the early 1800s. Thanks to safety and reintroduction efforts, ibex now roam massive areas of the Alps. However, a quickly altering local weather inflicting shifts in meals availability throughout breeding seasons might hinder their survival. Canon EOS R7 + 100–400mm f4.5–5.6 lens at 140mm + 1.4x teleconverter; 1/640 at f8; ISO 100The Weaver’s Lair – Jamie Smart Winner, 10 Years and Under Jamie Smart (UK) spots an orb weaver spider inside its silken retreat on a chilly September morning. Jamie first observed the dew-laden net earlier than realising its maker was sitting in a nest. With the endurance and steadiness wanted to manually focus her digicam, she stored the spider completely lit and symmetrically framed. This spider’s net is constructed from a scaffold of radial threads, overlaid with a spiral of sticky silk to carry ensnared bugs. A robust sign thread transmits vibrations to the spider’s hiding place, triggering it to emerge and acquire its prey. Nikon Z9 + 105mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 at f10; ISO 80; Nikon SB-910 Speedlight flash; Cygnustech diffuserThe Feast – Audun Rikardsen Winner, Oceans: The Bigger Picture Audun Rikardsen (Norway) witnesses feeding time round an Atlantic fishing vessel throughout a polar night time in northern Norway. Audun managed to {photograph} this chaotic scene of gulls making an attempt to catch fish trapped by nets. The gulls have learnt to observe the sound of the boats to discover a herring feast. Through his work, Audun goals to attract consideration to the continuing battle between seabirds and the fishing trade. Unfortunately, many birds drown in or round these purse seine nets annually. Various fisheries and researchers are trialling options, together with sinking the nets extra rapidly to make them much less accessible to the birds. Canon EOS R5 + 15–35mm f2.8 lens at 15mm; 1/200 at f4.5; ISO 10000; Canon Speedlite 600EX II flash; LED torchSynchronised Fishing – Qingrong Yang Winner, Behaviour: Birds Qingrong Yang (China) perfects photographic timing to point out a ladyfish snatching its prey from proper underneath this little egret’s beak. Qingrong was at Yundang Lake close to his house, a spot he visits often to {photograph} the feeding frenzies: little egrets patrol the floor, able to pounce on fish leaping to flee underwater predators. Once a pure marine harbour, Yundang Lake was sealed off from the ocean throughout Nineteen Seventies improvement. Isolated from the tides and currents, it grew to become polluted and stagnant. An engineering challenge later reconnected it to the ocean by way of a system of gates that regulate water movement. Nikon Z9 + 400mm f2.8 lens; 1/2500 at f5; ISO 110Frolicking Frogs – Quentin Martinez, France Winner, Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles Quentin Martinez (France) discovers a gathering of lesser tree frogs in a breeding occasion. In persistent rain, Quentin adopted a flooded path to a brief pool in a forest clearing. He framed this scene with a wide-angle lens and used a subtle flash, which didn’t disturb the frogs, to focus on their metallic sheen. To appeal to mates, lesser tree frogs produce quick, shrill calls. Huge numbers collect, and the spectacular breeding occasion – triggered by heavy rains – lasts for only a few hours. Canon EOS 7D Mark II + 17–40mm f4 lens at 24mm; 1/200 at f16; ISO 500; 4x Meike MK320 flashes; selfmade softboxShadow Hunter – Philipp Egger Winner, Animal Portraits Philipp Egger’s (Italy) endurance is rewarded with the orange glint of an eagle owl’s eyes and the night gentle falling on its feathers. Philipp first noticed this nest whereas climbing and spent 4 years observing it from a distance. He deliberate this picture meticulously, proper right down to the slight digicam wobble to blur the few components current, utilizing a telephoto lens. About twice the load of a buzzard and with a wingspan approaching 180 centimetres (6 toes), these formidable nocturnal predators are among the many largest owls. They nest on sheltered cliff ledges or in crevices, typically returning to the identical web site for years. Nikon Z9 + 180–600mm f5.6–6.3 lens; 1/10 at f29; ISO 320Cat Amongst the Flamingos – Dennis Stogsdill Winner, Behaviour: Mammals Dennis Stogsdill (USA) witnesses a caracal searching a lesser flamingo within the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Dennis had been retaining an eye fixed out for wild cats akin to servals for a number of days when a name came visiting the radio: one had been seen at Ndutu Lake. But it wasn’t a serval. It was a caracal, efficiently searching wading lesser flamingos. Caracals have a diverse food plan, from bugs to antelope, and are famend for the acrobatic leaps they make to grab birds from the air. But there are few, if any, information of them searching flamingos. Canon EOS-1D X Mark II + 600mm f4 lens; 1/1600 at f5.6; ISO 2500Like an Eel out of Water – Shane Gross Winner, Animals of their Environment Shane Gross (Canada) witnesses a peppered moray eel very a lot in its ingredient attempting to find carrion at low tide. It took Shane quite a few makes an attempt over a number of weeks to doc this hardly ever photographed behaviour. At first the eels had been elusive, however as soon as Shane realised that they had been scavenging for lifeless fish, he waited. His endurance was quickly rewarded when these three eels appeared. Peppered moray eels are effectively tailored to the intertidal zone. They can hunt each above and beneath the water’s floor utilizing their eager senses of scent and sight, typically staying out of water for greater than 30 seconds. Nikon Z6 + 24–70mm lens at 24mm; 1/250 at f5.6; ISO 2500; Godox AD400 Pro flash with 24-inch diffuser; gentle standOrphan of the Road – Fernando Faciole Winner, Impact Award, 2025 / Highly Commended, Photojournalism Fernando Faciole (Brazil) watches an orphaned large anteater pup observe its caregiver after a night feed at a rehabilitation centre. Fernando wished to focus on the implications of highway collisions, a number one reason behind the decline in large anteater numbers in Brazil. This pup’s mom was killed by a car, and the hope is that it will likely be launched again into the wild after being inspired to develop essential survival expertise by its caregiver. Alongside rehabilitation centres, the Anteaters and Highways challenge of the Wild Animal Conservation Institute is creating methods to cut back anteater deaths on Brazil’s roads. These embody erecting fences and constructing underground tunnels to permit the anteaters to cross safely. Nikon D850 + 24–70mm f2.8 lens at 28mm; 0.8 at f22; ISO 31; Nikon Speedlight flash with Greica CT-16 transmitter/receiverAfter the Destruction – Andrea Dominizi, Winner, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 / 15 – 17 Years. Andrea Dominizi (Italy) finds a longhorn beetle – a forest sentinel observing an intruder. Andrea observed this longhorn beetle whereas strolling within the Lepini Mountains of central Italy, in an space as soon as logged for previous beech timber. Using a wide-angle lens and off-camera flash, he framed the beetle in opposition to deserted equipment. Andrea’s {photograph} tells a poignant story of habitat loss. As longhorn beetles tunnel into lifeless wooden, fungi make their approach inside, serving to to interrupt it down and recycle vitamins. If the beetles’ habitat is disturbed or destroyed, the consequences ripple throughout the complete ecosystem. Nikon D7100 + Tokina 10–17mm f3.5–4.5 fisheye lens at 17mm; 1/80 at f8; ISO 400; Godox TT350 off-camera flash and diffuser
