Photographer Shane Gross offers a glimpse into the hidden world of western toad tadpoles, their tiny forms creating a mesmerizing spectacle beneath a layer of lily pads. To capture this image, Gross spent hours snorkeling through the lake, meticulously avoiding any disruption of the fragile ecosystem on the lakebed. The tadpoles, driven by instinct, embark on a risky ascent from the depths, seeking food in the shallows while dodging lurking predators. Their journey highlights the precarious nature of their existence, with a staggering 99% mortality rate before reaching maturity.
2. Winner, Behaviour: Mammals: "Tranquil Moment" by Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, Sri Lanka
A peaceful interlude in the Sri Lankan wilderness offered photographer Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod a unique encounter. Resting after a busy morning photographing the local fauna, Vinod discovered he had company – a troop of toque macaques moving through the canopy above. Among them, a young macaque cradled in an adult's embrace, offered a picture of perfect serenity. Vinod delicately captured the moment with a telephoto lens.
This photo shows the inherent vulnerability of these adaptable primates. Their increasing reliance on human food sources, as their natural habitat shrinks, has led to escalating conflicts with farmers, resulting in tragic instances of shooting, snaring, and poisoning
3. Winner, Impact Award: "Hope For The Ninu" by Jannico Kelk, Australia
Jannico Kelk's photograph beautifully shows a greater bilby (also known as a ninu), framed by the wire grass and shrubs against the night's darkness. His dedication led him to spend mornings searching the sand dunes of a conservation reserve, following the tracks of this rabbit-sized marsupial. After locating tracks near a burrow, he strategically positioned his camera trap, capturing this stunning image. The bilby, once driven near extinction by introduced predators like foxes and cats, is now thriving within fenced reserves where these threats have been controlled.
4. Winner, Photojournalist Story Award: "Dolphins Of The Forest" by Thomas Peschak, Germany/South Africa
Of the two freshwater dolphin species inhabiting the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, the Amazon river dolphin stands alone in its remarkable adaptation to the seasonally flooded forest. This unique evolutionary trajectory has allowed it to thrive in a dynamic and challenging environment.
5. Winner, 10 Years And Under: "Free As A Bird" by Alberto Román Gómez, Spain
Alberto Román Gómez's photograph juxtaposes the delicate form of a young stonechat with a heavy chain. Spotting the bird from his father's car near the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Gómez captured its tireless pursuit of insects. The stonechat, interpreted by Gómez as a vigilant protector of its territory, lacked the adult's characteristic call, a sound likened to clicking stones. Its preference for open spaces and perches like fences, is typical of the species.
6. Winner, Impact Award: "Recording" by Hand By Liwia Pawłowska, Poland
A common whitethroat, serene in the hands of a bird ringer, is the focus of Liwia Pawłowska's evocative photograph. Pawłowska, a long-time bird-ringing photographer, aims to raise awareness of this crucial conservation practice through her work. During the bird-ringing season, volunteers assist trained ringers in recording the vital statistics of birds, providing valuable information that is useful to scientists studying populations, migration routes, and developing conservation strategies for birds.
7. Winner, 15-17 Years: "Life Under Dead Wood" by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, Germany
Lifting a log, Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas discovered a miniature ecosystem: slime mold and a tiny springtail. He quickly used focus stacking—combining 36 images—to capture this elusive creature, known for its astonishing jumping ability. These minute springtails, less than a tenth of an inch long, are found worldwide, feeding on bacteria and fungi within leaf litter and alongside slime molds, contributing to soil health through decomposition.
8. Winner, Animals In Their Environment: "Frontier Of The Lynx" by Igor Metelskiy, Russia
A lynx, caught in a moment of serene repose, stretches against the backdrop of the Russian wilderness in Igor Metelskiy's stunning photograph. The image represents the culmination of months of effort as Igor navigated difficult terrain and unpredictable weather to position his camera trap near the tracks of the lynx's potential prey.
The resulting photograph, a product of over six months of patient waiting, gives a rare glimpse into the life of this elusive feline. The lynx population was estimated in a 2013 survey to be around 22,500 individuals in Russia, with roughly 5,890 residing in the Russian Far East, including Primorsky Krai.
9. Winner, Behaviour: Birds: "Practice Makes Perfect" by Jack Zhi, USA
A young peregrine falcon, practicing its aerial hunting skills, attacks a butterfly near its sea cliff nest. ears of patient observation culminated in this action shot, capturing the bird's incredible speed. The falcon's adult form will be capable of breathtaking dives at speeds topping 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour).
10. Winner, Behavior: Invertebrates: "The Demolition Squad" by Ingo Arndt, Germany
Photographer Ingo Arndt captures the fascinating process of a blue ground beetle being dismembered by a colony of wood ants. Lying beside the ants' nest, even for a short time, gave Ingo a firsthand appreciation for their overwhelming presence. He watched as the red wood ants efficiently carved the dead beetle into pieces suitable for carrying into their underground home. Although these ants primarily feed on the sugary secretions of aphids, they supplement their diet with protein obtained from captured prey. Through a coordinated effort, they can overcome insects and other invertebrates much larger than themselves.
11. Winner, Animal Portraits: "On Watch" by John E Marriott, Canada
Amidst a snowy landscape, a lynx finds respite from the biting wind, its fully grown offspring nestled protectively behind it. After nearly a week of tracking this family group through snowy forests, equipped with snowshoes and lightweight camera gear, John finally located them thanks to fresh tracks. Maintaining a respectful distance, he documented this tender moment without disturbing their peaceful rest.
The fate of the lynx is closely tied to the population dynamics of its primary prey, the snowshoe hare. As climate change diminishes snow cover, other predators gain an advantage in hunting hares, potentially leading to a decline in hare numbers and, consequently, impacting the lynx population.
12. Winner, Photojournalism: "Dusting For New Evidence" by Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK
Britta Jaschinski captures the moment a London Metropolitan Police investigator searches for fingerprints on a seized ivory tusk. Jaschinski observed this process at a CITES Border Force facility, where confiscated animal products undergo analysis. A new magnetic powder technique enables the recovery of prints up to 28 days after contact, significantly improving the chances of identifying those involved in illegal wildlife trafficking. Over 200 specialized kits distributed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare to 40 countries have already assisted in four cases, leading to fifteen arrests.
13. Winner, Behaviour: Amphibians And Reptiles: "Wetland Wrestle" by Karine Aigner, USA
A yellow anaconda coils around a yacaré caiman's snout in a gripping scene captured by Karine Aigner. During a tour, Aigner noticed the struggling reptiles in the water. Both caimans and large anacondas are known to eat other reptiles, making it unclear who initiated the conflict. The anaconda's presence is further underscored by the tabanids clinging to its back, adding to the intensity of the moment.
14. Winner, Urban Wildlife: "Tiger In Town" by Robin Darius Conz, Germany
A tiger rests on a hillside overlooking a town. Robin Darius working on a documentary about the Western Ghats, employed a drone to observe the tiger's movements. This image contrasts the success of tiger conservation within protected areas of the Western Ghats with the challenges faced by tigers in areas experiencing development and resulting human-wildlife conflict.
15. Winner, Underwater: "Under The Waterline" by Matthew Smith, UK/Australia
A curious leopard seal, viewed from a unique underwater perspective, is the subject of Matthew Smith's striking photograph. Smith, using a custom-designed camera extension, captured a split-level image during his first encounter with the animal. The seal's close approach and direct gaze created a memorable shot. However, the leopard seal's seemingly abundant population faces threats from overfishing, declining sea ice, and warming waters, which diminish their krill and penguin prey.
