The 42 Fantastic Winners of the World Nature Photography Awards

4 weeks ago 25

On the left, a white whale swims above a darker whale in deep blue water. On the right, a brown bear splashes into a shallow river filled with red fish.

The World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA) have announced their 2026 winners. Australian photographer Jono Allen won the top honor for his exceptional portrait of a rare white humpback whale and her mother.

“Sharing this moment with Mãhina and her protective mother is a memory that will live with me forever. It was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary days I have ever experienced in the ocean — and perhaps ever will,” says the winning photographer, Allen. “To be announced World Nature Photographer of the Year through capturing this unique mother and calf bond has made what was already a truly life changing encounter even more profound and humbling. I feel beyond honored to receive this award.”

A baby humpback whale swims closely above an adult whale in deep blue ocean water, creating a striking contrast between their light and dark bodies.

Allen bested photographers from 51 countries across six continents, who entered thousands of beautiful nature photos.

“As the awards continue to grow, so too does the diversity and quality of work submitted from across the globe,” explains Adrian Dinsdale, co-founder of the WNPAs. The World Nature Photography Awards were founded in 2020 with the goal of not only promoting the world’s best nature photos but also inspiring people to connect deeper with nature. WNPA partners with Ecologi to plant a tree every time someone enters the competition as well.

“This year’s winning images are a powerful reminder of both the wonder of our planet and the importance of protecting it. We congratulate Jono and all of our category winners on their outstanding achievements.”

On that note, photographers competed across 14 different categories. The judges awarded the top three photos in each category: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. All 42 winning photos are featured below, including a second look at Jono Allen’s overall winning image, which took the Gold in the fiercely contested Underwater category.

World Nature Photography Awards 2026 Category Winners

Animal Portraits

A close-up of a gorilla lying down with a thoughtful expression, while an orange butterfly rests gently on its dark fur.

A white ermine (stoat) peeks its head out of a hole in the snow, blending in almost perfectly with the snowy background. Only its head and upper neck are visible.

A close-up of a lioness carrying a cub gently by the scruff of its neck in her mouth. The cub’s legs and paws hang down, and the lioness’s focused eyes are visible.

Animals in Their Habitat

A brown bear splashes into a shallow river, attempting to catch a group of red salmon swimming tightly together in clear water over a rocky riverbed.

Two tigers partially concealed by mist and tall grass, one wading through shallow water and the other crouched near reeds, creating a serene and tranquil scene with soft reflections in the water.

A dramatic, jagged iceberg rises from dark water under a moody sky, with small groups of black-and-white penguins scattered across its icy slope.

Behavior — Amphibians and Reptiles

A chameleon with textured skin walks across sandy ground, blending into its surroundings as wind blows sand around it, creating a hazy, golden background.

A zebra stands in muddy water facing a crocodile, which is partially submerged and looking at the zebra; the scene appears tense and dramatic.

A snake emerging from the water with only its head visible, stares at a blue dragonfly perched on its nose. The water reflects both the snake and the dragonfly, creating a calm, mirrored scene.

Behavior — Birds

A white egret with outstretched wings appears to land on a thin branch with hanging moss against a bright blue sky.

A white bird is photographed from below, with its wings spread and talons extended, framed by tall dry grasses against a black background.

A woodpecker with a red crest pecks at a tree, sending wood chips flying into the air. The bird is in sharp focus while the background is a blurred green, emphasizing the action and motion.

Behavior — Invertebrates

A brown and yellow butterfly chrysalis rests on a green leaf, enclosed in a delicate mesh of fine, filmy threads against a plain white background.

A swarm of mayflies illuminated by streetlights at night, flying over a river with reflections of bridge lights on the water.

A close-up of a yellow fuzzy bee perched on dried brown flower buds, with a dark black background highlighting the bee’s large eyes and detailed features.

Behavior — Mammals

A giraffe shakes its head, sending a dramatic arc of illuminated droplets into the air against a completely black background. The giraffe's neck and details are highlighted by side lighting.

Two polar bears sit on icy terrain near open water, hugging each other. Snow and ice surround them, with a calm blue sea and soft sky in the background, capturing a moment of warmth and affection in a cold environment.

A whale’s tail splashes dramatically in the water, sending up a spray, with dark mountains and cloudy skies in the background.

Black and White

A polar bear sits curled up on snowy ground, with its head resting on its paw in a peaceful, relaxed pose. The white fur of the bear blends softly with the snow, creating a serene, high-contrast scene.

Four rhinos run across open grass, with two birds taking flight nearby. The scene is in black and white, under a dramatic, cloudy sky.

Nature — Art

A small, translucent orange fish with large eyes rests on a vibrant orange and yellow spotted surface, blending in with the textured, polka-dotted background.

A close-up of a chameleon's tail tightly coiled in a spiral pattern, illuminated to highlight its textured green and yellow scales against a black background.

Close-up image of several small amphibian embryos curled up inside transparent, spherical eggs, surrounded by a soft, glowing light.

Nature — Photojournalism

A sedated gorilla lies on an operating table, surrounded by veterinary staff in masks and scrubs, with medical equipment and monitors nearby inside a veterinary clinic.

Hundreds of sea turtles in a large indoor facility, with people in gloves sorting and caring for them using blue tubs and wooden crates. Sunlight streams through large windows on the right side of the room.

A large wildfire burns in the savanna, filling the sky with thick smoke. In the foreground, a lone tree stands with a leopard resting on its branches, watching the fire from above.

People and Nature

A moose with branches tangled in its antlers stands in a snowy field next to a large camera on a tripod, as if inspecting or posing for a photo. Snow covers the ground and distant hills.

An elephant drinks water from a rectangular pool on a wooden deck under a canopy, with dry trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

A fish swims alongside a torn piece of yellow-green plastic against a black background, highlighting the issue of ocean pollution.

Planet’s Earth — Landscapes and Environments

Aerial view of a vibrant geothermal spring with deep blue and green center, surrounded by yellow and white mineral deposits and textured brown earth formations.

Aerial view of braided turquoise river channels winding through a snowy, mountainous landscape with rugged peaks in the background under a clear blue sky.

A single barren tree stands in shallow pink water under a clear blue sky, with soft clouds on the horizon and smooth reflections on the tranquil surface.

Plants and Fungi

A tree with twisting branches covered in lichen stands amid autumn foliage, displaying bright yellow leaves. Soft purple shrubs grow at the base, creating a colorful, natural forest scene.

A close-up of fungi on a tree releasing a smoky cloud of spores into the dark air, with green moss and textured bark visible on the left.

Close-up of tiny orange-brown moss sporophytes growing among pale green moss, with sunlight creating a warm, glowing bokeh effect in the blurred background.

Underwater

A sea turtle rests on the ocean floor, surrounded by a dense swirling school of small fish, creating a circular pattern around the turtle.

Urban Wildlife

A polar bear stands near a construction site sign and rummages through a pile of discarded electronics and debris on snow-covered ground at dusk.

Two jackals face each other with open mouths, appearing to snarl or communicate, in a grassy area at night. Behind them is a pink building with blue windows and flowering bushes. The scene is dramatically lit.

A sloth bear walks near a large, lifelike tiger statue outside a building at night, with trees and lights visible in the background.

More From the World Nature Photography Awards

Many of the winning photos featured above are available as prints from the World Nature Photography Awards’ online store. Alongside announcing the 2026 winners, the 2027 WNPAs are now officially open for entry, and photographers can enter at early-bird rates until March 30, 2026. Complete entry details and regulations are available on the competition’s website.

Image credits: World Nature Photography Awards. Individual photographers are credited in the image captions.

Read Entire Article