Arctic Perspectives and Urban Encounters
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition has unveiled its highly commended entries, showcasing moments of nature from across the globe. Norwegian photographer Audun Rikardsen secured a spot with his image Icy Window, which depicts a female polar bear peering directly into an underwater camera rigged at a seal breathing hole. Rikardsen waited eight hours at the location to retrieve his equipment, eventually finding a frame that captured the predator’s face through a circular opening in the ice. He noted he was so happy with the results he likely startled nearby polar bears with his reaction.
Contrasting with the Arctic landscape, urban wildlife interactions emerged as a major theme among the shortlisted photographers. Sora Miyazawa, aged 11-14, captured an Eastern Japanese toad on a wet metal storm drain in Tokyo at night. The image relies on a slow shutter speed to emphasize the creature's presence against a backdrop of city lights. In a similar vein, Loren Elliott photographed a black bear relaxing in a residential swimming pool in Monrovia, California. This entry illustrates the increasing overlap between human housing developments and traditional animal habitats in Los Angeles County.
Behavioral Observations in the Wild
Photography often serves as a tool for documenting complex animal behavior. Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen captured a striking scene in a Norwegian fjord showing an adult orca carrying a deceased calf. The animal repeatedly brought the body to the surface, a behavior that may be an attempt at revival or protection. Scientists have tracked this phenomenon in various species, and recent research indicates it occurs more frequently than previous records suggested. This image, titled Lifted to the Surface, highlights the raw reality of survival and grief in marine mammals.
In the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil, Andy Parkinson recorded a black vulture feeding on a dead yacaré caiman. Parkinson used a long telephoto lens to maintain distance, noting a clean wound on the caiman’s head that suggests a collision with a boat. Meanwhile, in Kenya, Bence Máté photographed a massive flock of red-billed queleas swirling in golden light. Máté reported that the sheer volume of birds created a physical rush of air, reminding observers that these flocks can reach populations of two million individuals.
The Technical Demands of Nature Photography
Capturing these moments requires significant technical patience and specialized equipment. Andrea and Maceo Grammatico used an extensive focus stack to photograph a fer-de-lance viper in Costa Rica, only realizing later that a small mosquito was resting on the snake’s head. The fer-de-lance is known for its camouflage, which often hides it from plantation workers. The Grammatico twins described the process as one of the most demanding they have performed.
Gil Wizen encountered similar difficulties in Ecuador, where he tracked a 15mm-long lichen dragon katydid. The insect possesses spiny armor and coloring that blends perfectly with its environment, forcing Wizen to rely on movement to locate his subject through the viewfinder. These photographers illustrate that modern wildlife imagery involves as much field study and specialized optical work as it does timing and luck.
Beyond the aesthetic quality of the submissions, the competition highlights shifts in how humans view the natural world. Pietro Rojas documented a bear performing on a motorbike in a circus in Qatar, drawing attention to the ethics of animal captivity. As more than 50 nations implement bans or restrictions on using wild animals in circus acts, these photographs provide a record of a practice that is gradually falling out of favor. The winners of the competition will be announced on 13 October 2026, followed by an exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London starting 16 October 2026.