Nature is beautiful. Yet within this beauty lies a harsh reality where survival often demands ferocity and sacrifice. Predators hunt with precision, prey fight desperately for their lives, and the cycle of life and death is constant and unyielding.
“The People’s Choice Award allows members of the public from across the globe to join the jury and vote for their winning image, inspiring everyone to connect with the natural world,” Dr Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said in a press release. “As always, this year’s selection of images for the competition’s 60th anniversary is truly exceptional, and we can’t wait to see which one will be chosen as the public’s favorite!”
Some of the Finalists
In Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, a puma stands as a symbol of hope, reflecting successful conservation efforts that have fostered coexistence between the species and local “gauchos” or sheep farmers. The rise of ecotourism has improved the gauchos’ perception of pumas, as they now appreciate what the big cats contribute to the region through tourism income. The use of sheepdogs further mitigates conflict by protecting the sheep, allowing pumas to focus on their natural prey, and reducing the chance of their being shot by gauchos. Over the past 20 to 30 years, these gradual changes have shown the potential for a more harmonious relationship between humans and pumas.
In Hungary’s Kiskunság National Park, a European roller defends its breeding territory from a seemingly unbothered little owl. The two species are very different but have similar nesting and feeding habits, leading them to breed near one another.
The male roller makes a sport of annoying other birds that stray into its breeding area during the short mating season. It likes to execute a surprise ambush, flying at its target at full speed from behind.
In Botswana, a tenacious honey badger, an animal known for its ferocious nature, clashed with a Cape porcupine in a fierce battle. The badger initially attacked the porcupine’s leg but was repeatedly pierced by its sharp quills. Despite retreating briefly, the bloodied badger returned, finished off the porcupine under a bush, and dragged it into its underground den.
In St Leonards-on-Sea, England, a Eurasian badger was photographed seemingly appreciating some badger-themed street art on a darkened road. Residents regularly leave food scraps on the pavement for foxes, but the photographer noticed badgers from a nearby sett were also coming to forage. He set up a small hide on the edge of the road to take this picture. Dimly lit by a streetlight, the badger ambled along the pavement, creating a striking visual parallel with the graffiti.
In Vancouver, Canada, a barn owl was photographed gracefully exiting a hayloft window. The photographer spent several nights observing the owl’s habits before setting up a system with a motion-triggered flash and a slow shutter to capture the scene. After 10 nights of observing and waiting, the elements aligned, resulting in a hauntingly beautiful image of the owl in flight, framed by the building.
In Belgium, a stoat blends seamlessly into the snowy landscape, sitting upright to survey its territory. The photographer, captivated by winter’s snowfall, spent years seeking to capture this elusive scene. Using a white camouflage net, he lay in the snow and finally realized his dream when a curious stoat emerged from its snowy hole, briefly pausing before heading off to hunt.
In Neko Harbour, Antarctica, a Weddell seal rests serenely on an ice floe under a dramatic blue-grey sky. The photographer captured the moment from a boat using a long lens to avoid disturbing the seal. With its large body and thick blubber, the seal is well-adapted to the icy conditions of the Southern Ocean.
In South Africa’s Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a giant ground gecko bravely faced off against a southern pale chanting goshawk, known for hunting prey on foot. Despite its valiant effort, the gecko couldn’t survive the attack, leaving the photographer impressed by its courage.
