Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award Winners Showcase Funny and Stunning Side of Nature
London’s Natural History Museum has just concluded its annual photography event, where the museum seeks out the world’s best wildlife photography to fill an exhibition at the beloved cultural institution.
The grand prize winner of the museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for 2019 is Yongqing Bao, who beat out 48,000 other entries from over 100 countries with his photo of a Tibetan fox pouncing on a shocked Himalayan marmot in China’s Qilian Mountains
“Photographically, it is quite simply the perfect moment. The expressive intensity of the postures holds you transfixed, and the thread of energy between the raised paws seems to hold the protagonists in perfect balance,” Roz Kidman Cox, the chair of the competition’s judging panel, said in a statement about the “extraordinary” winning photo.
According to the museum, the wolf in the shot is a female, hunting in the rugged area to provide for her three pups. Little is known about the Tibetan wolf, since the species lives in the high, isolated areas of the Tibetan and Ladakh plateaus. For Bao to get such a striking shot of the elusive creature at the world’s “Third Pole” is impressive.
“The area in which this was taken, often referred to as the “Third Pole” because of the enormous water reserves held by its ice fields, is under threat from dramatic temperature rises like those seen in the Arctic,” Sir Michael Dixon, director of the Natural History Museum, said. “At a time when precious habitats are facing increasing climate pressures, seeing these fleeting yet fascinating moments reminds us of what we need to protect.”
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Bao, who was born and raised in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau area, has evolved as a photographer over the years, and is now focused on showing “that wild animals are indispensable friends to humans” through his role as director and chief ecological photographer of the Qilian Mountain Nature Conservation Association of China.
While Bao’s photo claimed the top prize, the competition has other categories (including Animal Portraits and Urban Wildlife), each with their own winner. Take a look at some of the other winners below, and get a complete look at all the best photos from the competition at the event’s website or see the competition’s 100 best photos in person at the exhibit that opens at the Natural History Museum on Oct. 18.
Category: Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019
Photographer: Cruz Erdmann of New Zealand
Category: Behavior: Mammals
Photographer: Ingo Arndt of Germany
Category: 15-17 Years Old Photographer
Photographer: Riccardo Marchegiani of Italy
Category: Rising Star Portfolio Award
Photographer: Jérémie Villet of France
Category: Behavior: Birds
Photographer: Audun Rikardsen of Norway
