Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024: tadpoles, a springtail and a slime mold in the spotlight

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A mesmerizing photo of tadpoles has won a Canadian photographer the prestigious title of “Wildlife Photographer of the Year.”

The photojournalist specializing in marine conservation, Shane Grosswas named the winner of the 60th Natural History Museum competition at an awards ceremony in London on Tuesday evening (October 8).

His western toad tadpoles faced fierce competition from post-coital lions, a hungry jaguar and a leaping stoat to take first place. In total, 59,228 photos from 117 countries and territories were sent by photographers passionate about fauna and flora, which constitutes a record.

“The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles,” explains Kathy Moran, jury chair. “We were also excited about the addition of a new species to the archives of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year“.

A near-threatened species due to habitat destruction and the presence of predators, it is estimated that 99% of these tadpoles will not survive to adulthood.

Mr. Gross took this image while snorkeling for several hours through mats of lily pads in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, taking care not to disturb the thin layers of silt and algae that cover the bottom of the lake.

The prize winner Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year awarded by the Natural History Museum (NHM) puts an even tinier species in the spotlight.

In a remarkable close-up, Alexis Tinker-Tsavalasoriginally from Germany, captures a collembole next to the fruiting bodies of a slime mold. He quickly moved aside a log that was blocking the view to take this photo, because these macroscopic animals – essential to soil health – can jump several times their body length in a fraction of a second.

“See a macro image of two species photographed on the ground of the forestwith such skill, is exceptional,” says Kathy Moran.

The upcoming Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will feature 100 photographs from around the world from October 11, 2024 in Londons. To mark the sixtieth anniversary, the museum’s flagship exhibition will present a timeline of key moments in the competition’s history.

Here’s a look at some of this year’s highly recommended works, including the first-ever award-winning image taken on a smartphone.

“Centre of Attention” by Georgina Steytler, Australia: highly recommended (Invertebrates)

This ball ofbees Male burrowers from Dawson compete for access to a female. When females emerge in spring, they are surrounded by males who compete to mate with them. After mating, the female digs a new burrow filled with pollen and eggs from which newly hatched bees will emerge in the spring.

Australian photographer Georgina Steytler has been studying these bees for years and knew she had to keep her distance. A long lens allowed her to capture this image as she lay on the hot, rocky ground near Carnarvon, Western Australia, with sand blowing in her face.

“Deadly Bite” by Ian Ford, United Kingdom: highly rated (Mammals)

A radio call alerted British photographer Ian Ford that a jaguar had been spotted prowling the banks of the São Lourenço River tributary in the Pantanal, Mata Grosso, Brazil. Kneeling in his boat, he got the perfect shot when the feline dealt a blow to the unsuspecting yacare caiman.

The Pantanal wetlands of South America are home to the highest density of jaguars in the world. As prey is plentiful, these usually solitary big cats have been seen fishing, playing and traveling together.

“Twist and Jump” by José Manuel Grandío, Spain: highly recommended (Mammals)

Spanish photographer José Manuel Grandío braved subzero temperatures in Athose, Burgundy-Franche-Comté, France, to observe an ermine jumping in the snow.

Grandío’s favorite season for photography is winter and he spotted the creature leaping high into the air on the last day of his trip.

He said he saw in this performance an “expression of exuberance”. Scientists refer to this behavior as dancing, but opinions are divided as to whether it is an attempt to confuse prey or a parasitic infection.

“The Last Resting Place” by Randy Robbins, USA: Highly Recommended (Natural Art)

Struck by the unusual beauty of this frosty deer on the forest floor, photographer Randy Robbins captured this image with his smartphone.

Mr Robbins was checking surveillance cameras near his home in Susanville, California (United States), when he discovered the animal’s body. He captured this poignant moment before the ice could melt.

“In the Spotlight” by Shreyovi Mehta, India: Second Prize (10 and under)

Young photographer Shreyovi Mehta was walking with her parents in Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, India, when she saw this scene. She ran to her father who was carrying the cameras and leaned down to take a low-angle photo.

Keoladeo National Park is renowned for its birdlife and attracts large numbers of waterfowl in winter. The peacocks, seen in the photo, reside there all year round. Nestled in tall trees, they are most active at dawn and dusk and rest in the shade during the day.

“Going with the Floe” by Tamara Stubbs, UK: highly recommended (Animals in their environment)

This image represents a highlight of British photographer Tamara Stubbs’ nine-week expedition to the Weddell Sea. She noticed that these crabeater seals had fallen asleep alongside the ship, with the tips of their nostrils protruding above the surface of the water.

Antarctica has around four million crabeater seals. Although they are not considered endangered or threatened, they are protected by international conservation agreements. Further research is needed to determine the impact of climate change and tourism on their populations.

“The Disappearing Ice Cap” by Thomas Vijayan, Canada: highly recommended (The Oceans: An Overview)

Thomas Vijayan’s drone shot shows the epic scale of the Bråsvellbreen glacier in Svalbard, in Norway. It took careful planning and good weather conditions to achieve this, with the final image being a panorama of 26 individual images.

The photo shows summer meltwater plunging from the edge of the Bråsvellbreen glacier. This glacier is part of Austfonna, the third largest ice cap in Europe, which is one of many ice caps that cover the land of the Svalbard archipelago.

Some scientific models suggest that Svalbard’s glaciers could disappear completely within 400 years due to climate change.

“Stormy Scene” by William Fortescue, United Kingdom: highly rated (Mammals)

British photographer William Fortescue visited the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania during the rainy season. He observed these lions mating several times before the female broke off the union. He didn’t notice the trails of saliva and the explosion of insects coming from the male’s mane until later, when he enlarged the photo.

Lions can mate throughout the year, but they synchronize the birth of cubs to increase the pride’s chances of success. Female lions cooperate to raise their offspring together, to ensure their survival into adulthood.

“Moonlight Hunter” by Xingchao Zhu, China: highly rated (Mammals)

Xingchao Zhu followed a group of wild Pallas’s cats (manuls) across the icy plateau of Inner Mongolia for several days during the Chinese New Year. One such day, just before dawn, Xingchao made eye contact with this cat while catching a small bird.

Pallas’s cats have a thick winter coat that allows them to survive at altitudes up to 5,000 meters. They use stealth to avoid large predators and their small, rounded ears are thought to allow them to stay hidden while peeking over obstacles.

“Hooked” by Tommy Trenchard, South Africa: highly recommended (The Oceans: An Overview)

South African photographer Tommy Trenchard was traveling aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise when he took this photo of an accidentally captured requiem shark.

The Arctic Sunrise research expedition in the international waters of the South Atlantic Ocean aimed to document accidental catch of sharks by fishing boats targeting tuna and swordfish.

With around 80 million sharks caught each year in the world’s oceans, the expedition hoped to highlight the lack of regulation of industrial fishing in international waters.

The number of sharks worldwide has fallen since 1970 due to fishing, and three-quarters of shark species are now threatened with extinction.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competitionis designed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.