A tender, arresting scene sits at the heart of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026: Federico Veronesi received the top honor for a black-and-white portrait of a female elephant carrying her deceased calf. Shot while he was tracking elephants in the Huab River Valley of Namibia, the encounter unfolded after he noticed unusual drag marks and then saw the adult emerge with the calf’s leg wedged between her trunk and tusk. Veronesi’s The Aftermath also tops the Behaviour: Mammals category, offering a rare view into animal responses that remain difficult to fully interpret. As a statement notes, “Behaviours centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalisations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased. Some researchers suggest these behaviours could indicate an elephant’s journey to understanding death, while others interpret these actions as possible displays of grief.”
It was a landmark year for the competition, with 65,403 entries from photographers in 121 countries, the largest turnout of submissions in its 62-year history. “This year’s winning photographs demonstrate the extraordinary power of wildlife photography to help us see nature differently,” says Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum. “Together they remind us that every species plays a role in the complex web of life, and why understanding and protecting the natural world has never been more important.”
Across categories: power, fragility, and surprising worlds
- Francisco Negroni (Chile), “Warning Sign.” Winner, Photojournalism: A dead puma set against the windswept expanse of Argentine Patagonia.
- Kutub Uddin (Bangladesh/U.K.), “Tiny Dancers,” from the ‘Secret Worlds’ portfolio. Winner, Portfolio Award: Capillitium—fine threads—emerge on round, yellow-green slime molds, aiding future spore dispersal.
- James Lewin (U.K.), “The Meeting Place.” Winner, Animals in their Environment: A young bull elephant splashes a group of zebra gathered in the Kenyan Chyulu Hills.
- Loren Elliott (U.S.), “On the Outskirts,” from the ‘Wily Coyotes of San Francisco’ portfolio. Winner, Photojournalist Story Award: A coyote moves along a trail in Bernal Heights Park, overlooking the city and bay of San Francisco.
- Agorastos Papatsanis (Greece), “Shedding Light.” Winner, Plants and Fungi: Under ultraviolet light, the yellow stems of bonnet mushrooms glow as they sprout from a decaying log.
- Anton Sorokin (U.S.), “Protective Pose.” Winner, Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles: A California newt lays its eggs while clasping vegetation that already holds another clutch.
- Alex Visbal (Colombia), “The Great Divide.” Winner, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture: A single engineered line cuts across and reshapes a wetland.
- Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas (Germany), “Afternoon Snack,” from the ‘Hidden Depths’ portfolio. Winner, Rising Star Award: A robber fly impales a flesh fly with its needlelike mouthparts.
- Amelie Davis (U.K.), “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Winner, 10 Years and Under: A common carder bee hovers as it comes in to land on a flower in Surrey, England.
The 100 top images from this year’s contest go on view tomorrow, October 16, at the Natural History Museum in London, where they’ll be exhibited through July 11, 2027.
