In total, there were 11 categories from which we highlighted the winning images and honorable mentions from categories such as Wildlife, Youth, Conservation, and Animal Antics. If you would like to see all the 113 finalists, make sure to visitthe site of the NBP International Awards.

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“Only about 50% of brown bear cubs make it past their first year. Their survival depends upon the special relationship between adult females and their young. This close bond is imperative as the mother provides not only food but also protection and guidance. Here, a cub has its eyes on what the sow is eating.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Brown Bear And Cub By Jennifer Smith

Bored Pandareached out to the organizers of Nature’s Best Photography Awards, who shared when the competition started and what changes have happened since it began in 1995.“Nature photographers travel the globe to document its beauty and diversity. They witness breathtaking landscapes, fascinating wildlife behavior, and surprising glimpses of Earth’s soaring peaks and mysterious ocean depths. The powerful images and stories these photographers bring home awaken our desire to explore, enjoy, and conserve the natural world.In admiration and support of these visually driven storytellers and the important impact they have made since cameras were first invented, the Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) concept was born in 1995. NBP’s ambitious goals are to recognize, celebrate, and support this ever-growing body of work and the dedicated photographers of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of camera expertise behind it. All NBP initiatives strive to engage and involve global audiences, enhance artistic expression, promote outdoor education and personal well-being, and inspire greater public participation in the conservation and preservation of the natural world.Over the years, camera technology has changed dramatically, from film to digital capture. Social media has given global platforms to photographers, enabling them to instantly share images and stories. These changes in technology and dissemination have transformed our awards program. High-definition computer monitors have allowed us to better process, review, and manage the increased volume of image submissions. Photographers now have better tools and greater access to destinations; their skills have improved through workshops, careful observations of pros, and research online.With the growth of our awards program, our mission has evolved to become one of the most prestigious photography competitions of its kind. In 1998, we partnered with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, to exhibit our best photography each year—an alliance that lasted 15 years. Today, we reach an international group of nature photographers with a passion for wildlife and wild places who want to spread appreciation and inspiration for conservation practices, and exhibit the winning images in prestigious venues across the globe.”

Bored Pandareached out to the organizers of Nature’s Best Photography Awards, who shared when the competition started and what changes have happened since it began in 1995.

“Nature photographers travel the globe to document its beauty and diversity. They witness breathtaking landscapes, fascinating wildlife behavior, and surprising glimpses of Earth’s soaring peaks and mysterious ocean depths. The powerful images and stories these photographers bring home awaken our desire to explore, enjoy, and conserve the natural world.

In admiration and support of these visually driven storytellers and the important impact they have made since cameras were first invented, the Nature’s Best Photography (NBP) concept was born in 1995. NBP’s ambitious goals are to recognize, celebrate, and support this ever-growing body of work and the dedicated photographers of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of camera expertise behind it. All NBP initiatives strive to engage and involve global audiences, enhance artistic expression, promote outdoor education and personal well-being, and inspire greater public participation in the conservation and preservation of the natural world.

Over the years, camera technology has changed dramatically, from film to digital capture. Social media has given global platforms to photographers, enabling them to instantly share images and stories. These changes in technology and dissemination have transformed our awards program. High-definition computer monitors have allowed us to better process, review, and manage the increased volume of image submissions. Photographers now have better tools and greater access to destinations; their skills have improved through workshops, careful observations of pros, and research online.

With the growth of our awards program, our mission has evolved to become one of the most prestigious photography competitions of its kind. In 1998, we partnered with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, to exhibit our best photography each year—an alliance that lasted 15 years. Today, we reach an international group of nature photographers with a passion for wildlife and wild places who want to spread appreciation and inspiration for conservation practices, and exhibit the winning images in prestigious venues across the globe.”

“During one of many walks in the natural habitat of the basilisk, I found this male resting on a fallen tree trunk half submerged in water. I carefully moved closer to capture his splendor and avoid any distracting elements in the shot. One of my biggest dreams had come true.”

Art In Nature: Winner – Green Basilisk By Petr Bambousek

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – African Savanna Elephant By Staffan Widstrand

Since judges were flooded with over 15,000 submissions from all over the world, we were curious what they looked for when picking the winning photos.

After passing through the semifinal round of judging, the raw, untouched files are requested and inspected to make sure the highest-res photos have not been technically altered, but reflect the scene as it appeared in the field. We ask photographers to confirm that their subject was not baited, lured, staged, or taken in a controlled situation, and was taken following our code of ethical photography.

One longtime judge and NBP supporter, Charles Veatch, explained, “Subject, composition, use of light, and clarity of focus are the areas I draw upon when casting my vote to move an image entry from one round of judging to the next.”

Birds: Winner – Mute Swan And Cygnet By Andy Parkinson

“Lion cubs are among my favorite photo subjects. Focusing on this fellow as the lionesses prepared to target a herd of eland, his eyes darted between his mother and our vehicle, giving a variety of amusing expressions.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – African Lion Cub By Nisha Purushothaman

Nature is our home and sparking conversations about preserving it is of utmost importance both for the NBP Awards and the photographers.From co-founder, Steve Freligh, “What we have treasured over the years is the immediate and long-lasting effect a single image or film instills in the hearts and minds of children, adults, and families alike, inspiring discussions, imaginative perspectives, and most importantly, a greater understanding and appreciation of nature overall. People will only be moved to save what they love, and NBP strives to support important causes and to encourage awareness of the outdoors.“As the Grand Prize-winning photographer, Luis Vilariño says, “Nature photography should inspire changes in society that involve and mobilize people to create a better and more sustainable world.”

Nature is our home and sparking conversations about preserving it is of utmost importance both for the NBP Awards and the photographers.

From co-founder, Steve Freligh, “What we have treasured over the years is the immediate and long-lasting effect a single image or film instills in the hearts and minds of children, adults, and families alike, inspiring discussions, imaginative perspectives, and most importantly, a greater understanding and appreciation of nature overall. People will only be moved to save what they love, and NBP strives to support important causes and to encourage awareness of the outdoors.”

As the Grand Prize-winning photographer, Luis Vilariño says, “Nature photography should inspire changes in society that involve and mobilize people to create a better and more sustainable world.”

“This mother polar bear was exhausted from finding food for her babies and just wanted to steal a moment to sleep. After being fed, the cubs would not let the mother rest and tried to wake her up to play.”

Polar Passion: Winner – Polar Bear And Cubs By Hung Tsui

“The image shows a cheetah and her cubs waking up at sunrise. While their mother was stretching, the curious cubs sat and watched our vehicle. Cheetah cubs typically will stay with their mom for 18 to 24 months before going their independent ways. They watch and learn all the tricks of survival from their mothers. Visiting the Mara over the past eight years, I have seen fewer and fewer cheetahs. Recently, the authorities laid down strict rules regarding the viewing of cheetah cubs to ensure their population grows in the future. We will have to wait and see if this is successful.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Cheetah And Cubs By Krishnan Gopala Krishnan

NBP awards also have a separate category for young people who can share their best work. We asked the organizers to share why it is important to recognize young photographers.“Young photographers age 18 and younger may enter their photos in the NBP Awards so we may recognize and encourage their passion for nature through the art of photography. Many of our past winners have emerged to become professional photographers, teachers, naturalists, and conservationists. We look forward to their future contributions to protect our natural heritage.We have enlisted a group of Nature’s Best Ambassadors from our past and present youth winners. This team of award-winning nature photographers and conservationists will help create innovative mentorship for emerging photographers worldwide. Their unique social media skill sets, energy, and storytelling capabilities will amplify our natural history messaging and youth-directed activities to chart the course for a vibrant and sustainable future.One of the Ambassadors, Meline Ellwanger, is the current Youth Photographer of the Year. She is from Germany and a student at Montana State University studying Wildlife Ecology. Meline’s profound love for the outdoors and wild animals led her to focus on nature photography. Over the past few years, she has traveled extensively, seeking out unique global locations and animals to capture through her lens. Her mission is to evoke profound emotions and a deeper connection to nature with her images.As an aspiring Ambassador for young girls in the photography industry, Meline aims to support them in achieving their dreams and strives to raise awareness about the significance of safeguarding our natural wonders and the importance of preserving them for future generations. She has grown a large following onInstagramand onTikTok.”

NBP awards also have a separate category for young people who can share their best work. We asked the organizers to share why it is important to recognize young photographers.

“Young photographers age 18 and younger may enter their photos in the NBP Awards so we may recognize and encourage their passion for nature through the art of photography. Many of our past winners have emerged to become professional photographers, teachers, naturalists, and conservationists. We look forward to their future contributions to protect our natural heritage.

We have enlisted a group of Nature’s Best Ambassadors from our past and present youth winners. This team of award-winning nature photographers and conservationists will help create innovative mentorship for emerging photographers worldwide. Their unique social media skill sets, energy, and storytelling capabilities will amplify our natural history messaging and youth-directed activities to chart the course for a vibrant and sustainable future.

One of the Ambassadors, Meline Ellwanger, is the current Youth Photographer of the Year. She is from Germany and a student at Montana State University studying Wildlife Ecology. Meline’s profound love for the outdoors and wild animals led her to focus on nature photography. Over the past few years, she has traveled extensively, seeking out unique global locations and animals to capture through her lens. Her mission is to evoke profound emotions and a deeper connection to nature with her images.

As an aspiring Ambassador for young girls in the photography industry, Meline aims to support them in achieving their dreams and strives to raise awareness about the significance of safeguarding our natural wonders and the importance of preserving them for future generations. She has grown a large following onInstagramand onTikTok.”

“This mute swan had just noticed another conspecific intruding into its territory. I was focused on the swan as it spread its wings and approached the other to chase it away. Pollen covered the water’s surface, which created beautiful bokeh balls against the golden light of the setting sun.”

Youth: Highly Honored – Mute Swan By Nicolas Stettler

“I made my way to this duo of teddy bear cholla and barrel cactus beneath my favorite peaks in the Superstition Mountains and carefully composed this scene before sunrise. The warm glow of sunrise began to paint the mountain peak, and the sky lit up with various shades of pink and orange, creating a mosaic of color in this desert landscape. The image is comprised of three consecutive frames with each frame using a different focal point to stack for optimal detail.”

Landscapes: Winner – Superstition Mountains Sunrise By Peter Coskun

The organizers shared some quotes from their past youth winners. Joe Sulik explains, “Discovering photography was the most empowering event in my life; suddenly, I had the means of sharing my intimate connection to the natural world with others, and a tool to give the multitudes of species on this planet a voice.”“Photography is our best chance to arouse public awareness to protect the world’s biodiversity.” —Zander Galli, past Youth Photographer of the Year, and NBP Ambassador.

The organizers shared some quotes from their past youth winners. Joe Sulik explains, “Discovering photography was the most empowering event in my life; suddenly, I had the means of sharing my intimate connection to the natural world with others, and a tool to give the multitudes of species on this planet a voice.”

“Photography is our best chance to arouse public awareness to protect the world’s biodiversity.” —Zander Galli, past Youth Photographer of the Year, and NBP Ambassador.

“Born to a mother estimated to be about 25 years old, the little blonde female cub had no other brothers or sisters to play with. All this cub wanted to do was play with other bears. I took this shot at eye level using a floating hide to create an intimate feeling.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Alaskan Brown Bears By Amit Eshel

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Polar Bear Wave By Jennifer R. Bellon

In addition, we also wanted to know how Nature’s Best Photography brings together nature lovers and photographers worldwide, besides the awards. They wrote: “Through the decades, NBP has built a historic body of work that reveals some of nature’s finest moments. Each photograph chosen as an award winner represents a single moment in the ever-changing web of life—a brief and irreplaceable record that brings both immediate and long-lasting impact and connects the image maker and image viewer.Photographs are a celebration of creative talent and discovery; they cross the boundaries of language, age, and culture. These images reveal moments that stop us in our tracks and encourage us to view them again and again. As you turn through the pages of our publications and online galleries, you are encouraged to celebrate the beauty, drama, and significance of each photograph, reminding us that nature is precious—we must all become better stewards for the future health of the planet.”“Our vision for the exhibitions at Children’s National is to deliver uplifting visual storytelling to those who may benefit from it the most. These scenes and their stories will instantly transport viewers from the stress of the hospital environment and into the wonders of nature, inviting imagination and curiosity to become a highlight of their day.”—Steve Freligh, NBP Awards Co-founder and Director.Photographs and videos from our nearly 30 years of past awards are displayed in Children’s Hospitals and Clinics and also in prestigious museums and galleries across Africa, the UK, Asia, and the US, bringing together the public with the work of today’s best wildlife photographers.“The Nature’s Best Photography displays are such a beautiful way to help our patients and families reconnect with nature,” remarks Martha Parra, CNH Vice President of Clinical Support Services, Children’s National Hospital in DC. “These images convey such an important sense of balance, peace, and joy.”Currently, there is a Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition open now through April 2024, in Jackson, Wyoming at theNational Museum for Wildlife Art. NBP worked in collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation in support of their many successful cutting-edge conservation programs on the continent of Africa. Learn more about theMkapa Awards.”

In addition, we also wanted to know how Nature’s Best Photography brings together nature lovers and photographers worldwide, besides the awards. They wrote: “Through the decades, NBP has built a historic body of work that reveals some of nature’s finest moments. Each photograph chosen as an award winner represents a single moment in the ever-changing web of life—a brief and irreplaceable record that brings both immediate and long-lasting impact and connects the image maker and image viewer.

Photographs are a celebration of creative talent and discovery; they cross the boundaries of language, age, and culture. These images reveal moments that stop us in our tracks and encourage us to view them again and again. As you turn through the pages of our publications and online galleries, you are encouraged to celebrate the beauty, drama, and significance of each photograph, reminding us that nature is precious—we must all become better stewards for the future health of the planet.”

“Our vision for the exhibitions at Children’s National is to deliver uplifting visual storytelling to those who may benefit from it the most. These scenes and their stories will instantly transport viewers from the stress of the hospital environment and into the wonders of nature, inviting imagination and curiosity to become a highlight of their day.”—Steve Freligh, NBP Awards Co-founder and Director.

Photographs and videos from our nearly 30 years of past awards are displayed in Children’s Hospitals and Clinics and also in prestigious museums and galleries across Africa, the UK, Asia, and the US, bringing together the public with the work of today’s best wildlife photographers.“The Nature’s Best Photography displays are such a beautiful way to help our patients and families reconnect with nature,” remarks Martha Parra, CNH Vice President of Clinical Support Services, Children’s National Hospital in DC. “These images convey such an important sense of balance, peace, and joy.”Currently, there is a Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition open now through April 2024, in Jackson, Wyoming at theNational Museum for Wildlife Art. NBP worked in collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation in support of their many successful cutting-edge conservation programs on the continent of Africa. Learn more about theMkapa Awards.”

“A beautiful sunny day greeted me in this gorgeous park. Before sunrise, I set up my mobile hide about 165 feet away from a dead tree. During my earlier research of this area, locals told me that this particular tree attracts many birds of prey. Golden eagles did not appear, but just before I packed up, a red fox climbed up, looking directly into my eyes for a brief moment. It was one of the most pleasant encounters with a red fox I have ever had.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Red Fox By Yonatan Stern

“While a squall covered Reykjanes peninsula, I ascended to the base of Geldigadalir—Iceland’s youngest volcano. Magma rising from the mantle formed gigantic bubbles 30 to 50 feet in diameter, which burst when they reached the surface. Lava was emerging with unusual force, overflowing the drainage channel and scattering the incandescent rock like oil on a canvas.” See thevideo.

Grand Prize Winner: “Volcano In The Clouds” By Luis Manuel Vilariño

Lastly, the organizers added: “The Nature’s Best Photography Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported through individual donations, alliances, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and program sponsorships. Please support our efforts at this link:NBP Fund.Please share your own favorite outdoor photographs and stories. Whether they are from your backyard or from exotic destinations, your art can make a meaningful difference in the way others view the natural world. New competitions will be opening soon for 2024. Learn more atNature’s Best Photography.See the complete collection of currentNBP International Awards.Get the Winter 2023 special editionfeaturing all the finalists and the stories behind the shots.

Lastly, the organizers added: “The Nature’s Best Photography Fund is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported through individual donations, alliances, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and program sponsorships. Please support our efforts at this link:NBP Fund.

Please share your own favorite outdoor photographs and stories. Whether they are from your backyard or from exotic destinations, your art can make a meaningful difference in the way others view the natural world. New competitions will be opening soon for 2024. Learn more atNature’s Best Photography.

See the complete collection of currentNBP International Awards.

Get the Winter 2023 special editionfeaturing all the finalists and the stories behind the shots.

“During the golden hour on The North Shore, I was treading water through the ripping current while numerous waves were coming my way. After numerous swells hit, a massive sandbar was created at this spot. When the sand gets pushed into the water, magic happens! The reef on the left side of the bay caused the waves to wedge and peak onto a shallow sand shelf. I live for days like this because they are rare. I had to make sure these giant waves did not pound my head as I composed the shot.”

Ocean Views: Winner – Wave By Danny Sepkowski

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Gharial And Hatchlings By Santosh Jana

“I was privileged to spend nearly six hours with these two animals when I took this shot. Initially, they were up in a tree with a kill tussling over who got to eat first. They came down and roamed across the grassland, interacting as a mom and youngster often do, with lots of rubbing and play-fighting. For a fleeting second, one wrapped its tail around the head of the other, and I was in the right position to catch it.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – African Leopards By Ian Mears

“We awoke one morning to a blanket of fresh powder snow. While the photographers were busy taking photos of the moose, the moose was walking from car to car, licking the salt. But ‘Hoback,’ the largest moose in the Tetons, was licking the tires, the lights, and the car hoods. He then peered into our car and glared at a stuffed moose on the dashboard. Hoback pushed against the Jeep with his nose and began to spar. Getting nowhere, he licked some more and then wandered off.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Bull Moose By Deena R. Sveinsson

“Roe deer are easily spooked; therefore, I use traditional fieldcraft techniques like wearing a ghillie tree suit and stalking with the wind in my face. I saw this buck’s antlers, crawled slowly to get close, and waited. Any movement would have ended the encounter, but my camera was up and ready for this shot.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Roe Deer By Andy Rouse

“In the dark, the bears seem like ghosts fishing along the Klukshu River. Their fur is thick and white with icicles. When they move, they sound like chandeliers. Yukon First Nations lore tells how this icy armor serves as a shield to protect the grizzlies—called ‘ice bears’— from arrows. It is a sight and sound that is eerie and beautiful and rare—increasingly so, in more ways than one. There are only a handful of places in the Yukon where ice bears can fish into late fall when temperatures have dropped below zero. Some are scattered around Haines Junction, on the traditional territory of the Champagne Aishihik First Nation, and the Kluane River, on the traditional part of the Kluane First Nation. Others are further north, near Fishing Branch Territorial Park. What all of these spots have in common is that salmon run late enough there for the bears to fish in the dark when the salmon can’t see them, and the bears rely solely on their extraordinary sense of smell to catch the fish. But with winter arriving in the Yukon later every year and rivers disappearing due to receding glaciers, and while salmon numbers are at a record low, we may be seeing the last of these ice bears.”

Conservation Story: Highly Honored – “Ice Bears” By Peter Mather

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Rocky Mountain Goat Kids By Mark Van Liere

“During a late evening safari, we came across a few zebras. I was taking some close-up portraits when we observed one sniffing the air. The zebra held its head high, lips open, and teeth exposed. This behavior looked as if he was having a hearty laugh. After review, I understood this was a Flehmen response.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Grevy’s Zebra By Vijayram Harinathan

“As the pandemic raged during the summer of 2020 and 2021, I decided to turn my attention to documenting and exploring the Hudson Bay area. Utilizing drones and our custom-built equipment allowed us to observe unique hunting behaviors of beluga whales and get up close and personal with the polar bears, all while staying invisible to be able to capture intimate moments. Observing the wildlife has changed the lives of me and my team forever.” See thevideo.

Video | Nature In Motion: Winner – Polar Bears And Beluga Whales By Martin Gregus

“I laughed out loud watching this pair of adolescent bull elephants tussle with each other like a pair of rambunctious boys on the playground. When one bull had enough, he sat down in resistance. His friend would have none of it! Determined to continue the match, he pushed his buddy back to his feet. Elephants are extraordinary animals capable of a full range of emotions, like love, grief, and compassion. The sense of joy and silliness in this pair was contagious. The grins on their faces added to the playful mood. I smile every time I see this image.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – African Savanna Elephants By Kathy Karn

Wildlife: Highly Honored – African Lion By Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti

“After a few days of heavy rain, I had the opportunity to photograph a gelatinous mass of developing glass frog embryos hanging from a fern leaf over a stream. It was an image I had in my mind for years. To highlight the embryos, my girlfriend held a flash from behind. Once they hatch, the tadpoles will drop into the water below and continue their metamorphosis into adulthood.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Wiley’s Glassfrog By Jaime Culebras

“Here, an adult and a juvenile spotted owl perched on a branch. It was one of the last times I saw these nocturnal owls during the daytime before the tree was removed to widen the highway.”

Youth: Highly Honored – Spotted Owlets By Anirudh Kamakeri

Conservation Story: Winner – Iberian Lynx By Amit Eshel

See Also on Bored Panda

“We were photographing a group of white rhinos as they grazed at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where rhinos are abundant. Seeing upwards of 12 to 15 individuals daily in the wildlife reserve is not unusual. On this trip, I noticed three males getting close to one another and asked my driver to position the safari vehicle in front of them, hoping the rhinos would come together. I was ready and got lucky as all three butted heads. The one in the center raised its head to push through the other two. I captured the trio perfectly aligned before they pushed each other out of the way.”

Wildlife: Winner – Three White Rhinoceros By Hector D. Astorga

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Emperor Penguin By Philip Marazzi

“I spent several weeks photographing the owlets from a particular burrow throughout the late, blistering hot summer months in this Southern California desert. As they got older and grew bolder, each one would venture further away from the burrow, bouncing around and practicing their flight capabilities. I captured this juvenile burrowing owlet in a fully extended yet humorously failed mid-flight attempt.”

Animal Antics: Winner – Burrowing Owlet By Shane Keena

“After spending the day in Yellowstone National Park with my family, we were driving home down the notoriously windy mountain road that is Sylvan Pass. It was raining, and the sky was eerily dark. Making our way around a sharp turn, I asked my dad to stop the car. To our right, an enormous rainbow spread across the sky. The vibrant contrast of colors against the ferocious clouds was striking. I grabbed my camera and took photos until the last bit of color from the rainbow dissipated. To this day, this is one of my favorite moments I have experienced in nature.”

Youth: Highly Honored – Rainbow Overlook By Kinley Bollinger

“Here a gecko was putting up a brave fight trying to attack the immature goshawk. Unfortunately for the gecko, there was only one possible outcome—I had to blink back tears.”

Animal Antics: Highly Honored – Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk And Giant Ground Gecko By Willie Van Schalkwyk

“On a trip to Churchill during November, when the sea ice usually starts to form, the polar bears are typically seen hunting for seals. However, this time, there was still no sea ice, and the bears were waiting patiently. We followed this individual as it came across an empty hut and disappeared inside. It poked out its head and I got this humorous shot. We were all laughing at the funny and unique moment.”

Youth Photographer Of The Year: Winner – Polar Bear By Meline Ellwanger

“Finding a soft spot in a cactus, this reptile is feasting on the succulent plant. I could only snap one shot before the iguana changed the angle of its head and had its back to me.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Galápagos Land Iguana By Marko Dimitrijevic

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Mountain Hare By Kevin Morgans

“We parked our Jeep and ventured on foot following a trail in the Patagonia grasslands. This game trail runs along rocky cliffs where pumas may sometimes be seen. After scouring the landscape in the windy, cold air with binoculars, we eventually gave up, and just as we decided to turn back, we finally saw ears and a face hidden in the rocks. The cat was napping on the hillside. Gradually, he stood up, stretched his back, and sauntered off. We followed, hoping to get another glimpse. As the puma looked at us, I got this shot.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Gray Puma Hiding By Casey Klebba

Conservation Story: Highly Honored – Atlantic Puffin By Derrick Z. Jackson

“I am a passionate wildlife advocate and photographer with an affinity for bears. Over the last ten years, I have made multiple trips to Alaska to photograph brown bears, mothers, and their cubs. Mothers have the difficult task of providing food and protection at the same time for their young cubs. When a sow runs off to hunt for fish, cubs remain isolated along the banks of rivers and inlets. In this photo, a sow has captured a salmon and returns to share it with her cubs.”

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Brown Bear And Salmon By Daniel D’Auria, Md

Youth: Highly Honored – Pier By Cian O’Hagan

“This photo was taken one day in my garden when I saw weaver ants collecting leaves to build their nests. So I rushed inside to get my camera and started taking different scenarios. This image depicts a situation where the ants are structured in a triangle to support each other like a ladder. The weaver ants use it to move from leaf to leaf, and through this photo, we can see the unity and teamwork of the weaver ants.”

Youth: Highly Honored – Weaver Ants By Sudith Rodrigo

“An anemonefish was caring for eggs laid on a plastic bag filled with sand. I was happy to get this shot, but also sad to see the ocean trash.”

Conservation Story: Highly Honored – Clark’s Anemonefish By Laurie V. Slawson

“This moment is one of the most epic behind-the-shot sessions and adventures. Planning such a shot brings tremendous excitement because, from the beginning, the final result is totally unknown. The goal of our adventure was to drop into a glacier just before the dark of night. But all conditions had to line up for success. We found a hole, or ‘moulin,’ about 130 feet deep. Here, climber Helgi Ragnar Jensson is coming up around midnight under the most incredible conditions with a rising full moon and halo. One can barely see our tent lit up on the right side of the frame.”

Outdoor Adventure: Winner – “On Edge” By Virgil Reglioni

“I visited Valparai in South India to see tea plantations and the famous lion-tailed macaques. During my trip, our guide spotted a group of a hundred or more macaques on the forest floor. I saw cute babies playing around with their mothers and a big alpha male approaching. All the others gave way— he was quite large compared to the other macaques. He was the ‘big boss’ of the group; he sat close to us, facing the other side. I watched him intently and noted his beautiful silver- white mane surrounding his head from his cheeks to his chin. I waited for him to look toward me, and soon, we gazed directly at each other. I captured this eye contact on camera and in my mind forever.”

Youth: Highly Honored – Lion-Tailed Macaque By Arshdeep Singh

Youth: Highly Honored – “One Way” By Gergő Kártyás

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Brown Fur Seals By Eduardo Del Álamo

Youth: Highly Honored – Orb Weaver Spider By Anirudh Kamakeri

Wildlife: Highly Honored – Crested Crab Spider Guarding Nest By Yong Miao

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