The Final 24 Images of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025

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a bobcat pouncing on a bird, a close-up of a polar bear's face in snow, and a green insect with textured skin perched on a red plant.

Photographers from 113 different countries entered a record-setting 60,636 photos to the 61st Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2025. The outstanding contest winners were unveiled last fall, but now it’s time for the people to have their say. One of these 24 beautiful wildlife photos will win the prestigious People’s Choice Award, and voting is open now.

This year’s People’s Choice Award is presented by Nuveen, the Lead Corporate Sponsor of the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. The exhibition not only appears at the Natural History Museum in London but also travels internationally to Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and more locations worldwide.

The Natural History Museum, London, and an international panel of photography, wildlife, conservation, and science experts selected the two dozen shortlisted photographs below. Subjects range from teeny-tiny critters like bug nymphs, spiders, and hummingbirds to big, powerful predators like polar bears, lions, and tigers, with all sorts of wonderful animals in between.

A close-up of a sloth with wet, shaggy fur cradling its baby, which is nestled closely into its arms, both with their eyes partially visible among the thick fur.

A close-up of a translucent, bright green insect with bumpy skin standing on the red and orange spiky petals of a flower, against a blurred green background.

A small yellow crab rides on top of a translucent green jellyfish, floating in dark water with tiny particles scattered around them.

A wild lynx stands on a dirt path, mid-pounce, with an open mouth and one paw extended toward a small rabbit leaping through the air nearby. Bushes and blurred greenery fill the background.

A close-up of a baby pangolin resting on a dark, soft surface. The pangolin’s textured, scale-covered body and small claws are clearly visible against the black background.

A Bengal tiger walks through a dense forest at night, illuminated by a spotlight, with dark trees and foliage surrounding it under a deep blue sky.

A bear with a pale snout lies inside a rusty metal chamber, surrounded by debris and a partially open door, appearing to peer out cautiously. Wires and greenery are visible in the background.

Close-up of a polar bear walking on snow, with its face and one paw prominently visible. The bear's white fur blends with the snowy background.

Aerial view of a polar bear lying on the ground with three polar bear cubs cuddling closely against her on rocky, mossy terrain.

Two bear cubs stand on their hind legs facing each other on a road, seemingly playing, while a car with headlights on waits behind them in a forested area.

Two soldiers in camouflage uniforms pose with rifles in front of a large pile of rusty scrap metal under a clear blue sky, with trees and greenery visible in the background.

A wet otter stands in shallow water, holding and eating something with its paws. Its fur glistens and drops of water hang from its mouth, with blurred green foliage in the background.

Two possums are perched on a tree branch at night; one is standing upright on the branch while the other is hanging upside down below it. The background is dark with shadowy trees.

Two flamingos fly above a large flock of flamingos gathered in a water channel, flanked by rows of power lines and utility poles stretching into the distance at sunset.

A large pod of dolphins swims together underwater in clear blue ocean, with sunlight streaming down from the surface above.

A fluffy crane chick with an open beak sits on the back of an adult crane with a red-crowned head. The adult and chick face each other closely against a soft, blurred background.

A long-tailed hummingbird with iridescent green and blue feathers hovers in midair, feeding from a purple flower, with a blurred green background.

A bird with vibrant purple tail feathers stands on the forest floor, holding an insect in its beak. Sunlight highlights the bird and nearby leaves, while the background is shadowy and green.

Five young birds of prey perch closely together at the edge of a brick building’s gutter under the roof, looking outward. The wall is made of red bricks with visible mortar lines.

Aerial view of a solar farm with rows of blue solar panels arranged in geometric patterns, separated by grassy pathways and scattered with a few trees.

A close-up of a brown, camouflaged spider resting on a twig, its body and legs covered in textured, bark-like patterns blending with the wood against a dark background.

A deer with antlers entangled in the skull and antlers of another deer, set against a plain white background.

Close-up of a spider holding a cluster of translucent eggs with its legs, showing fine details of its body, legs, and the round eggs against a blurred brown background.

A lion-tailed macaque walks forward on a forest path, carrying its baby clinging to its underside. The background is blurred with green foliage and scattered brown leaves on the ground.

Many of the photos are not only exceptional from an artistic and technical perspective but also shed vital light on important conservation topics. For example, one of the images above shows a pangolin pup at a rescue center in South Africa. Pangolins are among the most heavily trafficked animals in the world, and this poor pup was orphaned after its mother was poached. The pup miraculously survived.

Another photo doesn’t feature wildlife itself at all. It is a portrait of a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger standing in front of a massive pile of illegal snares that the rangers had confiscated during just one year at Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.

Another eye-catching photo doesn’t include any visible animals at all. An aerial photo of a solar panel farm in the United Kingdom shows how the panels are organized around pastureland, highlighting the often complex relationship between people and nature.

Online voting for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026 is open now and runs until March 18, 2026. The winner and four runners-up will be announced a week later, on March 25, and the winning shot will join the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.

Image credits: Wildlife Photographer of the Year; Natural History Museum, London. Individual photographers are credited in the image captions.

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