Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition presents a showcase for the world’s finest nature photography. To see the Natural History Museums Wildlife Photography click here for the full article. Here are 10 of what we think are the best shots from this year’s competition.
Copyright Yongqing Bao
The Moment
Grand title winner 2019
Yongqing Bao, China
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “This Himalayan marmot was not long out of hibernation when it was surprised by a mother Tibetan fox with three hungry cubs to feed. With lightning-fast reactions, Yongqing captured the attack – the power of the predator baring her teeth, the terror of her prey, the intensity of life and death written on their faces. As one of the highest-altitude-dwelling mammals, the Himalayan marmot relies on its thick fur for survival through the extreme cold. In the heart of winter it spends more than six months in an exceptionally deep burrow with the rest of its colony. Marmots usually do not resurface until spring, an opportunity not to be missed by hungry predators.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Cruz Erdmann
Night Glow
Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019
Cruz Erdmann, New Zealand
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Cruz was on a night dive with his dad when he saw a pair of bigfin reef squid in the shallow water. One swam off but Cruz quickly adjusted his camera and strobe settings, knowing that the opportunity was too good to miss. He shot four frames of the remaining squid before it too disappeared into the inky blackness. Bigfin reef squid are masters of camouflage, changing their body colour and pattern using their reflective and pigmented skin cells. They also alter their appearance to help them communicate. During courtship, males and females display complex patterns to indicate their willingness to mate.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Ingo Arndt
Portrait of a Mother
Highly Commended 2019
Ingo Arndt, Germany
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “When you are eye to eye with a wild puma,’ says Ingo, ‘excitement is guaranteed.’ Tracking these elusive cats on foot meant lugging heavy gear long distances, often in freezing temperatures and unrelenting winds. Mutual respect gradually earned him the trust of a female and her cubs, allowing him to capture this intimate family portrait. Pumas remain playful throughout their lives. Play-fighting teaches cubs vital survival skills including how to hunt, fight and escape. The cubs will stay with their mother for up to two years before gaining independence. They will live a solitary existence as adults until it is their turn to breed.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Javier Aznar González de Rueda
Portrait of the Spanish Tarantula
Highly Commended 2019
Javier Aznar González de Rueda, Spain
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Javier crouched down and the gleaming black eyes of a Spanish tarantula peeped out from the entrance to her lair. Her appearance was fleeting, but just long enough for Javier to capture this handsome portrait, which he hopes will ‘change some people’s minds about these spiders’.Not a true tarantula, this spider is actually a type of wolf spider. Her leafy burrow is knotted together with silk. Vibrations at the burrow entrance are transmitted to her along these strands so she can dart out and capture passing insects. With a mottled colour she blends in beautifully, well camouflaged against the leaf litter.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Jaime Culebras
A Bite to Eat
Highly Commended 2019
Jaime Culebras, Spain
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Jaime was looking for frogs when he suddenly spotted a cat-eyed snake, a species with a particular liking for amphibians. Upon grasping its victim in its jaws, the snake released low-level toxic venom to subdue it. The brutal reality of the situation is captured in the eyes of the trapped hourglass tree frog.Hourglass tree frogs move freely between land and water and can lay their eggs in both environments. Despite this ability they are ideal prey for cat-eyed snakes that can swim and slither to reach the upper branches of vegetation. This leaves few safe options for the tree frogs.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Shangzhen Fan
Wild Asses in a Wild Land
Highly Commended 2019
Shangzhen Fan, China
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Heavy snow blankets the desert. As patches begin to melt, a small group of kiangs stride out in search of grass. To get to kiang territory, Shangzhen climbed to an altitude of 4,300 metres carrying his heavy gear. ‘Every move was a big challenge,’ he says.Kiangs are large wild asses mainly found on or around the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Although their population is stable, it is widely fragmented across the territory and increasingly threatened. As rangelands are turned into private ranches and fenced off from wildlife, kiangs lose access to key food sources.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Thomas P Peschak
The Plumage Parade
Highly Commended 2019
Thomas P Peschak, Germany/South Africa
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “A procession of macaroni penguins wove up the ridge of an old volcano crater towards their roosting terrace. The ground was strewn with feathers and the air reverberated with tremendous noise from the colony. With a special permit to board the island, Thomas had just a few hours with the penguins before a storm engulfed the coast and most of them headed out to sea.Every summer some 12,000 pairs of macaroni penguins congregate on Marion Island to breed. The population has been in steady decline over the past 30 years because of climate change and increased competition for food due to the booming population of fur seals and commercial fishing. Introduced mice that prey on chicks are also a growing threat.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Manuel Plaickner
Pondworld
Winner 2019
Manuel Plaickner, Italy
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Every spring for more than a decade, Manuel followed the mass migration of common frogs. He took this image by immersing himself and his camera in a large pond where hundreds of frogs had gathered. There he waited until the moment arrived for the picture he had in mind – lingering frogs, harmonious colours, soft, natural light and dreamy reflections.Rising spring temperatures bring common frogs out of their winter shelters. They head straight to water to breed, often returning to where they were spawned. Though widespread across Europe, their numbers are thought to be declining due to habitat degradation from pollution and drainage of breeding sites.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Audun Rikardsen
Land of the Eagle
Winner 2019
Audun Rikardsen, Norway
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Audun carefully positioned this tree branch, hoping it would make a perfect lookout for a golden eagle. He set up a camera trap and occasionally left road-kill carrion nearby. Very gradually, over the next three years, this eagle started to use the branch to survey its coastal realm. Audun captured its power as it came in to land, talons outstretched.Golden eagles typically fly at around 50 kilometres per hour but can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour when diving for prey. This, along with their sharp talons, makes them formidable hunters. Normally they kill small mammals, birds, reptiles or fish, but they also eat carrion and have been known to target larger animals too.” Link to full article click here.
Copyright Victor Tyakht
War Dance
Highly Commended 2019
Victor Tyakht, Russia
Quoted from the Natural History Museum “Two rival toad-headed agamas run and jump alongside one another in an energetic display designed to warn off the weaker opponent. These lizards are extremely territorial and fiercely protect their domain. ‘The conflict escalated very quickly in the searing heat, the air full of burning sand blown up from the dunes,’ says Victor.Toad-headed agamas are commonly found in sandy deserts and are characterised by the red frills at the corners of their mouths, which they inflate to look bigger and more aggressive. To appear even more threatening they curl up their tail, mimicking the pose of a scorpion.” Link to full article click here.
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