This year, the competition attracted photographers of all ages and skill levels from 117 countries, with an impressive 59,228 entries submitted. The museum has shared a list of 15 Highly Commended images, which we’re thrilled to share with you today.
If you’re interested in seeing all the stunning photographs live, the exhibition will be open to the public from October 11, 2024, through June 29, 2025, in the Natural History Museum in London.
Scroll down to see the most talked-about pictures competing for the title of the best Wildlife Photographer of the Year and to read our interview with the author of one of our favorite shots from this list.
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Ian Ford documents the moment a jaguar delivers a fatal bite to a caiman in the Pantanal.A call over the radio alerted Ian that a jaguar had been spotted prowling the banks of a São Lourenço River tributary. Kneeling in the boat, he was perfectly placed when the cat delivered the skull-crushing bite to the unsuspecting Yacare caiman.
Bored Pandareached out toIan Ford, the photographer behind the captivating image of ajaguar delivering a deadly bite to a caiman’s skull. This dramatic photograph caught our attention, making us eager to learn more about it from the photographer himself.We were especially curious about how Ford would describe the moment just before the jaguar struck. The photographer kindly shared with us: “We had been following the female jaguar as she hunted along the edge of the river. She had climbed onto the riverbank and was moving slowly in and out of the dense forest, so we kept losing sight of her. Suddenly, she burst from the bank and launched herself at the unsuspecting caiman. I think we were almost as shocked as the caiman!”
Bored Pandareached out toIan Ford, the photographer behind the captivating image of ajaguar delivering a deadly bite to a caiman’s skull. This dramatic photograph caught our attention, making us eager to learn more about it from the photographer himself.
We were especially curious about how Ford would describe the moment just before the jaguar struck. The photographer kindly shared with us: “We had been following the female jaguar as she hunted along the edge of the river. She had climbed onto the riverbank and was moving slowly in and out of the dense forest, so we kept losing sight of her. Suddenly, she burst from the bank and launched herself at the unsuspecting caiman. I think we were almost as shocked as the caiman!”
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When asked about unexpected interactions or challenges the photographer experienced with the wildlife during the shoot, Ian responded: “Jaguars are elusive creatures and blend extremely well with their habitat, so patience is crucial. The biggest challenge was the shoot itself. I was in a small, narrow boat on a fast-flowing river moving in the opposite direction to the jaguar. We had to constantly reposition the boat as she progressed along the river. On top of that, there were about a dozen other boats with photographers, all vying for the best position. The uncertainty of whether and when she would strike added to the tension. I positioned myself as low in the hull as possible, camera at the ready, waiting for the moment.”
Jose Manuel Grandío braves below-zero temperatures to witness a stoat jumping high into the air above the snow.Winter is Jose’s favourite season for photography. When he spotted this stoat jumping mid-air on the last day of his trip, he saw this performance as an ‘expression of exuberance’ as the small mammal hurled itself about in a fresh fall of snow. Scientists refer to this behaviour as dancing, although opinions are divided about what motivates it, from an attempt to confuse prey through to a parasitic infection. Stoats are usually active at night and prey on small mammals and birds.
Shreyovi Mehta finds two Indian peafowl ‘looking perfect for a picture’.Shreyovi was walking in the forest with her parents when she spotted this scene. She ran back to her dad, who was carrying the cameras, then got down on the ground to take her photograph from a low angle.Renowned for its birdlife, Keoladeo attracts large numbers of water birds in winter. Peafowl are year-round residents that roost in large trees. They rest in the shade during the day and are more active in open areas at dawn and dusk.
Many photographers dream of capturing their ‘bucket shot,’ and when they finally see it on their camera’s preview screen, it must bring a rush of excitement and accomplishment. We were curious if that was the case for Ford as well. Here’s what we learned: “My first thought was, ‘Did I get the shot?’—everything happened so quickly. As I scrolled through the images on my camera, I was thrilled to see that not only were they sharp, but I had also captured a few frames of the jaguar looking directly at the lens. I knew right away that I had some truly special shots, and I was absolutely delighted.”
Finally, we asked Ian how ‘Deadly Bite’ fits into the broader context of his body of work. The photographer shared with us: “I believe it fits perfectly within my portfolio. I’ve been fortunate to travel to many incredible destinations, capturing both wildlife and landscape photography. These jaguar images complement my other wildlife work, and they’ve definitely inspired me to pursue more impactful shots like this. It has deepened my motivation to continue capturing powerful moments in nature.”
Samual Stone watches as a jackdaw brings stones to its nest.Samual had been keeping an eye on the hole in the trunk of a half-fallen willow tree in London’s Bushy Park – he’d seen a pair of jackdaws visiting with their beaks full of hair taken from the coats of local deer.
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Thomas Vijayan utilises his drone to show the epic scale of the Bråsvellbreen glacier. Encapsulating the magnificence of the Austfonna ice cap required meticulous planning and favourable weather conditions.Thomas’s image, a stitched panorama of 26 individual frames, provides a spectacular summer view of meltwater plunging over the edge of the Bråsvellbreen glacier.The Bråsvellbreen glacier is part of Austfonna, Europe’s third largest ice cap. This dome of ice is one of several that covers the land area of the Svalbard archipelago. Some scientific models suggest that Svalbard’s glaciers could disappear completely within 400 years due to climate change.
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