Pictured: Winning entries for Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025.

The prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, now in its 60th year, has unveiled its Grand Title winners and category champions for 2025, celebrating the world’s most captivating and thought-provoking wildlife imagery. Announced at a glittering ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum, the awards spotlight the extraordinary skill and dedication of photographers who capture the beauty, fragility, and challenges of the natural world. This year’s overall winner, Wim van den Heever, earned the coveted title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year with a poignant image of a brown hyena in a desolate landscape, a testament to resilience amidst human remnants.

Wim van den Heever’s winning photograph, "Echoes of the Past," depicts a solitary brown hyena standing near the crumbling ruins of an abandoned diamond mining settlement in Kolmanskop, Namibia. This species, the rarest of all hyena species, is known for its nocturnal habits and solitary existence, making it incredibly elusive. Wim’s decade-long quest to capture this particular shot in the ghost town speaks volumes about his patience and commitment. He meticulously set up camera traps after repeatedly spotting fresh hyena tracks, determined to photograph an animal he knew inhabited the deserted town but rarely revealed itself. The resulting image is not just a stunning portrait of a creature, but a powerful narrative about survival, adaptation, and the enduring presence of wildlife in places touched by human industry. The ghostly light and the backdrop of a former boomtown amplify the sense of a fleeting moment in a harsh, yet beautiful, environment.

The Junior Grand Prize and the 15- to 17-year-old category winner was awarded to Andrea Dominizi from Italy for "After the Destruction." His photograph, taken in the Lepini Mountains of Lazio, Italy, captures a longhorn beetle resting on a discarded log beside abandoned logging machinery. This striking image vividly illustrates the profound impact of habitat loss on countless species. Andrea explained, "This photo shows the story and challenge faced by many animal species: habitat loss. In this case, it’s a beetle that loses the tree and the wood it needs to lay its eggs." The scene serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of deforestation, even in areas once rich with old-growth beech trees.

Category winners

Animals in their Environment: Shane Gross, Canada, took first place with "Like an Eel out of Water," captured on D’Arros Island, Amirante, Seychelles. Gross, a previous winner, demonstrated incredible patience, enduring hours in the sun, heat, and flies, waiting at a tidal pool where dead fish had washed ashore. His persistence paid off when three peppered moray eels emerged to scavenge for carrion, their serpentine forms weaving through rocks. The image offers a rare glimpse into the opportunistic feeding behaviour of these marine predators in an unusual, exposed setting.

10 Years and Under category: Jamie Smart, UK, won with "The Weaver’s Lair," photographed in Mid-Wales. On a crisp September morning, Jamie discovered an orb-weaver spider meticulously curled within its silken hideaway, its dew-dusted web threads shimmering around it. Jamie expressed a personal connection to the image, stating, "It’s also quite special for me because I get to show something that people are usually afraid of." Her photograph helps to demystify these often-misunderstood creatures, revealing the intricate beauty of their hidden lives.

Wetlands: The Bigger Picture: Sebastian Frölich, Germany, captivated judges with "Vanishing Pond," from Platzertal, Tyrol, Austria. His macro shot features a tiny springtail insect floating amidst clusters of neon green methane bubbles. Frölich’s image goes beyond mere aesthetics, highlighting the critical ecological role of the fragile Platzertal moorlands as a carbon sink and a vital habitat. The message is urgent: Austria has lost an alarming 90% of its peat bogs, underscoring the precarious state of these essential wetlands.

11–14 Years: Lubin Godin, France, claimed victory with "Alpine Dawn," taken in Col de la Colombière, Haute-Savoie, France. During an early morning ascent, Lubin encountered an Alpine ibex resting serenely on a rocky ridge, seemingly floating above a vast sea of golden clouds. As the sun began to break through the mist, he expertly retraced his steps to capture the ethereal scene before the clouds fully enveloped the mountain, creating a breathtaking tableau of nature’s majesty.

Underwater: Ralph Pace, USA, won the Underwater category with "Survival Purse," captured in Monterey Bay, California, USA. Battling powerful currents, Pace managed to photograph a swell shark egg case, revealing a glowing embryo complete with delicate gill slits and a yolk sac. This image serves as a powerful symbol of vulnerability, as swell sharks depend entirely on kelp to anchor their leathery egg cases. Researchers estimate that Monterey Bay’s kelp forests have declined by over 95% in the last 34 years, posing a severe threat to these developing creatures.

Animal Portraits: Philipp Egger, Italy, earned first place for "Shadow Hunter," from Naturns, South Tyrol, Italy. Egger spent over four years observing an Eurasian eagle owl’s nest from a distance, culminating in this dramatic portrait. The image shows the magnificent owl shrouded in deep shadow, its intense orange eye piercing through the darkness as a brush of light illuminates its dark feathers. Among the world’s largest owls, these nocturnal hunters, about twice the weight of buzzards, often return to the same cliff or crevice nesting sites for many years, showcasing their enduring presence.

Behaviour: Birds: Qingrong Yang, China, triumphed with "Synchronised Fishing," taken at Yundang Lake, Fujian Province, China. Yang’s photograph captures the extraordinary moment a ladyfish snatches its prey from just beneath the beak of a little egret. He frequently visits the lake to document these frenzied feeding spectacles, and this shot perfectly illustrates the delicate balance and competitive interactions within the aquatic ecosystem.

Behaviour: Mammals: Dennis Stogsdill, USA, won with "Cat Amongst the Flamingos," from Ndutu Lake, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Caracals are renowned for their incredible acrobatic leaps, capable of catching birds mid-air. However, sightings of them hunting flamingos are exceptionally rare, making Stogsdill’s image of a caracal gripping a bloody flamingo mid-hunt on a sandy lakeshore a truly remarkable and intense capture of a predator-prey interaction.

Photojournalism: Jon A Juárez, Spain, received the Photojournalism award for "How to Save a Species," from Ol Pejeta, Nanyuki, Laikipia County, Kenya. After years of dedicated observation of the BioRescue Project, Juárez documented a groundbreaking moment in rhino conservation: the first successful transfer of a rhino embryo to a surrogate mother. Although the pictured southern white rhino foetus did not survive due to infection, this milestone unequivocally proved that IVF could be a viable conservation tool for rhinos, bringing scientists significantly closer to saving the critically endangered northern white rhino from extinction. The BBC has previously covered this incredible story, highlighting its profound implications for global conservation efforts.

Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles: Quentin Martinez, French Guiana, earned the top spot for "Frolicking Frogs," photographed on Kaw Mountain, French Guiana. During a period of heavy rain, Martinez navigated a flooded forest path to a secluded pool, where he captured the metallic sheen of lesser tree frogs gathering to breed. The image beautifully illustrates the vibrant and often unseen reproductive rituals of amphibians in their natural, rain-soaked habitat.

Photojournalist Story: Javier Aznar González de Rueda, Spain, won the Photojournalist Story award for his portfolio "End of the Round-up," which includes an image from the USA showing a large enclosure filled with hundreds of western diamondback rattlesnakes, observed by visitors through glass windows. Across the United States, Aznar González de Rueda explored the complex and often conflicted views society holds towards rattlesnakes, ranging from deep respect in some cultures to widespread fear and persecution in others. His portfolio delves into these varied perspectives, shedding light on the human-wildlife dynamic.

Behaviour: Invertebrates: Georgina Steytler, Australia, was awarded for "Mad Hatterpillar," captured in Torndirrup National Park, Western Australia. Steytler’s photograph creatively showcases the extraordinary gum-leaf skeletoniser caterpillar, backlit at sunset, revealing its peculiar tower of discarded head capsules from past moults. This unique stack is thought to serve as a defence mechanism, confusing potential predators by creating an unusual silhouette.

Oceans: The Bigger Picture: Audun Rikardsen, Norway, won with "The Feast," taken in Kvænangen Fjord, Skjervøy, Norway. During a polar night, Rikardsen photographed a flock of gulls swarming around an Atlantic fishing trawler, desperately attempting to snatch fish trapped in the nets. His powerful image highlights the ongoing conflict between seabirds and the commercial fishing industry, drawing attention to the many birds that tragically drown in purse seine nets each year.

Plants and Fungi: Chien Lee, Malaysia, received first place for "Deadly Allure," photographed in Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Lee’s stunning image shows insect-attracting pitcher plants glowing in shades of pink and violet under UV torchlight in the darkness. Carnivorous pitcher plants are known to reflect UV light as part of their sophisticated display, using colour, scent, and nectar to lure unsuspecting prey. To illustrate this phenomenon, Chien Lee masterfully employed a long exposure combined with a UV torch, revealing the hidden beauty and lethal charm of these botanical predators.

Rising Star: Luca Lorenz, Germany, was recognised with "Watchful Moments," from Germany. While photographing mute swans on an urban lake during twilight, Lorenz captured an unexpected guest: a coypu standing upright, appearing to "photobomb" the serene scene. Behind it, ghostly swans glide across the water, framed by a dreamy, blurred background of leafless trees against a blue and purple sky, adding a touch of whimsy to the natural world.

Natural Artistry: Simone Baumeister, Germany, won for "Caught in the Headlights," taken in Ibbenbüren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. On a city bridge, Baumeister photographed an orb-weaver spider silhouetted against the vibrant, blurred lights of passing traffic. By ingeniously reversing one of the six glass elements in her lens, she created a striking kaleidoscopic effect, artfully framing the spider within a swirl of urban colour.

Impact Award Winner 2025 & Highly Commended, Photojournalism: Fernando Faciole, Brazil, was honored for "Orphan of the Road," photographed at CETAS (Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres), Belo Horizonte, Brazil. At this rehabilitation centre, Faciole captured the tender image of an orphaned giant anteater pup trailing closely behind its caregiver. His aim is to vividly illustrate the tragic consequences of road collisions, which represent a major and increasing threat to these vulnerable animals, underscoring the vital work of rescue and rehabilitation.

Portfolio Award: Alexey Kharitonov, Israel/Russia, received the Portfolio Award for "Visions of the North," featuring an image from Russia. His drone shot reveals a recently frozen lake in Svetlyachkovskoye Swamp, where snow-dusted dark circles are etched with intricate, crack-like veins. Kharitonov’s portfolio, captured with a drone, documents the rapid and dramatic transition from summer to winter across the vast taiga forests and Arctic tundra, showcasing the raw, ever-changing beauty of these remote northern landscapes.

The exhibition dedicated to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition opens at the Natural History Museum on October 17th, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in these incredible images and the powerful stories they tell. These winning entries serve as a global reminder of the urgent need for conservation and the profound connection between humanity and the wild.