Butterfly’s Narrow Escape Among Wildlife Photographer of the Year Finalists

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A frog with its mouth open and tongue extended lunges toward a butterfly flying in front of it on a dirt surface.

The Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition has given a sneak peek at 15 finalists that are set to compete for the prestigious Grand Title.

100 images have made the cut, which will be showcased in an exhibition at the Museum in London from Friday, October 16, 2026. They were selected from over 65,000 entries and judged anonymously on their creativity, originality, technical excellence and the often-powerful stories they tell by an international panel of expert judges across wildlife photography, filmmaking, science and conservation.

A small bird flies in the foreground, silhouetted against a large, out-of-focus passenger airplane in the sky.

A Namaqua chameleon sits on sand during a windstorm, with sand particles blowing across its body and the background.

A split-level view shows a school of silver fish swimming underwater below a sunset sky with a faint rainbow over a dark treeline.

A large, reddish-brown sea hare rests on a sandy seafloor surrounded by tall, green seagrass blades.

A brown bear sits on a decorated three-wheeled motorcycle on a circus stage, while a woman in a blue and white traditional costume stands nearby with her arm extended.

An aerial view of several orcas swimming in deep blue water, including a mother with a small calf swimming closely beside her.

A spiky, green and white camouflaged katydid rests on a branch of light green lichen against a dark background.

A red-billed oxpecker rests on the snout of a rhinoceros near its horn and eye.

A brown bear sits in a swimming pool with white beach balls and a pink donut-shaped float, next to a patio with lounge chairs and outdoor furniture.

A black vulture stands with wings spread wide atop the carcass of a caiman floating in dark water.

A large flock of birds flies across a golden, sunset-lit landscape where two antelopes stand in the background.

A mosquito stands on top of a pit viper's head, with its proboscis touching the snake's scales.

A black-and-white photograph shows a squirrel climbing a weathered wooden pole, while a leopard's paws and part of its face peek out from behind the other side.

A toad sits on a wet metal grate in the foreground, with a blurred figure walking under an umbrella and a glowing tower in the background at night.

The category winners and the prestigious Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards will be announced on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at a ceremony hosted at the Natural History Museum. The ceremony will be available to watch live on the Natural History Museum’s YouTube channel.

Check out last year’s winners here.

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