Winners of the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards. Today24.pro

Mãhina. First Place, Underwater, and Grand Prize winner of World Nature Photographer of the Year. Seen in Vavaʻu, Tonga. Allen said, “Sharing this moment with Mãhina and her protective mother is a memory that will live with me forever. It was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary days I have ever experienced in the ocean—and perhaps ever will.”

Eye on the Prize. Second Place, Behavior, Birds. A barn owl seen in Norfolk, England.

The Wildlife Photographer. First Place, People and Nature. Sveinsson: “After an evening snowfall in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, photographers woke up to a blanket of snow covering the sage flats. It was a relatively slow and boring morning watching the many bull moose eat their morning breakfast of bitter brush. A group of us photographers were photographing the bull moose eating his way in our direction. He would eat for about 10 minutes and then take a few steps only to start eating again. At some point, the bland bitter brush bored him and he decided to go on his walkabout. But he decided to do his walkabout in the direction of all the photographers. We quickly moved away to give the moose his space but, in all the haste, a tripod and camera ended up being left behind. At first the bull moose ignored the gear and started to thrash his antlers on the bitter brush. After his curiosity got the best of him, the bull moose decided to check out the camera gear.”

Fire Alert. Third Place, Nature Photojournalism. A female leopard and burning savannah, Masai Mara, Kenya.

Against the Light. Third Place, Plants and Fungi. Juniper haircap moss and grey curly lichen, Sipoo, Finland.

Splash. First Place, Animals in Their Habitat. A brown bear tries to catch sockeye salmon, Katmai National Park, Alaska.

Tale of a Tail. Second Place, Nature Art. The curled tail of an Indian chameleon, Bhigwan, Maharashtra, India.

Home Building. Third Place, Behavior, Birds. A woodpecker, seen in Anand, Gujarat, India.

I am the Boss. Second Place, Urban Wildlife. Golden jackals in Kolkata, India.

The Eye of the Dragon. First Place, Planet Earth’s Landscapes and Environments. Spitzer: “This is a drone photo of a natural geothermal pool in central Iceland at Hveravellir. In the photo, you can see the pool, which I think looks like a dragon’s eye.”

Giraffe Water Ballet. First Place, Behavior, Mammals. Chandrasekar: “As the sun dipped low over the dry Makgadikgadi landscape in Botswana, a lone giraffe stepped to the water’s edge. Towering and graceful, it bent its long legs, lowering its neck for a drink. Then came a moment of magic. Having taken its fill, the giraffe lifted its head, and with a gentle swish, expelled a stream of water in an arc that shimmered in the golden light.”

Galactic Amphibiospawn. Third Place, Nature Art. Salamander eggs, West Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Shared Wonder. First Place, Animal Portraits. Schrader: “It was a day defined by quiet connections. Beneath the lush canopy of Bwindi, I observed a young female gorilla gently nestled against the protective bulk of a silverback. The atmosphere was serene, filled with gentle sounds of the forest, until a sudden burst of delicate color broke through the calm. An unexpected visitor, a vibrant butterfly, appeared out of nowhere, fluttering gently through the air. Captivated, the young gorilla’s eyes widened, and in that moment, a beautiful interaction unfolded as a silent, shared wonder between two vastly different beings. I held my breath, hoping the butterfly would drift ever closer, bringing the unlikely pair into a shared world of curiosity. My heart raced quietly, aware of how rare and precious these moments are. As the butterfly danced gracefully around the gorilla, it seemed to embody the delicate beauty and fragile interconnectedness of our natural world.”

The Rugby Players. Third Place, Black and White. Rhinos and egrets in Solio Game Reserve, Kenya.

What Lies Beneath. Second Place, Underwater. Gentoo penguins, Port Charcot, Antarctica.

Stoicism in a Sandstorm. First Place, Behavior, Amphibians and Reptiles. Tromp: “The Namib desert is one of the most extreme environments on Earth, with a complete lack of surface water and temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in the daytime. Despite this, life is abundant if you know where to look. Sandstorms are frequent, with wind blowing down from inland mountains that stir up fine sediment and particles. A Namaqua chameleon has to endure the sting of pebbles blowing against its skin while we were lucky enough to escape to the relative comfort of our 4x4.”

Bear Hug. Second Place, Behavior, Mammals. A mother polar bear and her 6-month-old cub in Svalbard, Norway.

Winners of the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards

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