was introduced Wildlife Photographer of the Year Best photo contest. The competition organized by the Natural History Museum in London is one of the international competitions for nature photography, if not the oldest, which is being held this year for the 59th time.
The exhibition of One Hundred Selected Images will open at the Museum on October 13, 2023. Almost 50,000 images from 95 countries were submitted for the 2023 competition, almost all age groups represented. The jury evaluated the applications within one week, and the winners in the various categories and the final winner will be announced on the 10th of October. Below are some selected recordings.
Our featured image shows a leopard captured by the Shachuat Hareesh in Kenya. The photographer, who started out in the 11- to 14-year-olds category, was visiting the Maasai Mara National Park when he learned a tiger had been spotted nearby. After several hours of waiting, Harish managed to catch the animal.
American Max Wu is competing in the Animal Portrait category, and his shot shows a bison in the snow in Yellowstone National Park. Bison were once found throughout most of North America, but by the end of the 19th century they were on the verge of extinction due to hunting.
Source: © Max Wu, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Germany’s Elsa Friedlander entered the competition by displaying bird behavior and capturing a pair of white storks walking in front of a controlled artificial fire. The photo was also taken in the Maasai Mara, where many birds gathered around the bonfires. The use of controlled fires is an agricultural method that has come under much criticism.
Source: © Elsa Friedlander, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
China’s Donglin Zhou competes in the mammalian behavior category with his dramatic image, taken in Gajie, Sichuan Province, which shows a desert cat being hunted by a snow leopard. Both species hide well, and similar sightings are rare.
Source: © Donglin Zhou, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Australian Caitlin Henderson competes in the Urban Wildlife category. His picture shows an ordinary fox Kakuzu eating a cicada on the edge. The marsupial is common throughout Australia, and this species is well adapted to urban environments and occasionally comes into conflict with humans.
Source: © Caitlin Henderson, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Dutchman, Jasper Doss, published a shocking photo, in which he participates in the category of photojournalists. Filmed in Lobi National Park in Gabon, the protagonist is a dying elephant. The animal was run over by a train, and similar cases are common in the area. The trains haul in manganese from a nearby mine and, despite requests from park officials, don’t slow down in the area.
Source: © Jasper Dost, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
