While hiking through the dense jungles of Uganda, wildlife photographer Federica Cordero stumbled upon a young male chimp lounging on a twisted vine. His bemused frown suggests some irritation at having his nap disturbed, but it gave Cordero’s photo a charming air of adolescent grumpiness. Teenagers, am I right?
The image, titled The Canopy Watcher, won the Animal Portraits category of this year’s Nature inFocus Photography Awards. This annual contest celebrates photographers who document extraordinary moments in natural history and spotlight critical conservation issues. This year’s winners were announced on November 15 at the Nature inFocus festival in Bengaluru, India.
We encourage you to take a page out of this chilled-out chimp’s book. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the breathtaking winning photos below.
Ancient Rivals, Animal Behavior category winner
When an Arctic wolf is on the prowl, muskoxen know what to do. The herd in the background of this photo has formed a defensive circle to protect its calves, horns facing outward toward advancing predators.
Unfortunately for the herd, this wolf and its pack did manage to seize a few young muskoxen, turning them into a quick snack before continuing on their way. Wildlife photographer Amit Eshel caught this predator red-handed—or, uh, red-faced—showcasing the drama of life in the unforgiving tundra of Ellesmere Island, Canada.
Nautilus on the Move, Young Photographer category winner
Tinnapat Netcharussaeng, a 16-year-old underwater wildlife photographer and aspiring marine biologist, captured this otherworldly image during a nighttime blackwater dive off the coast of Anilao in the Philippines.
This alien-like creature is a female paper nautilus, which, despite its name, is not a nautilus at all. It’s actually an octopus with a thin, nautilus-like shell, giving it a similar appearance to the marine mollusks. This female is clinging to a leaf, riding it like a raft as it drifts through the open sea.
Edge of Two Worlds, Conservation Photography Award winner
Urban life collides with wildlife in Udaipur, a city of Rajasthan, India. Wildlife photographer and cinematographer Rajat Chordia captured the blending of these two worlds with this striking image of a young leopard feeding on a cow carcass beside a busy roadway, surrounded by garbage.
The photo is a stark reminder of the challenges Udaipur’s leopard population faces today, even as conservation efforts expand. Destruction of their forest habitat causes these predators to clash with human communities, sometimes with deadly consequences.
Urban Oasis, Coexistence category winner
At Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife photographer Sarthak Agrawal spotted a flock of flamingoes feeding against the backdrop of Dubai’s skyline. This protected urban wetland thrives amid rapid urban development, filtering water, storing carbon, and sustaining a diverse array of wildlife.
Ras Al Khor provides refuge for up to 25,000 migratory birds each winter, including greater flamingoes. Even without their signature pink hue in this black-and-white photo, the birds are unmistakable with their long necks, curved bills, and stalky legs.
Blue Aura, Creative Nature Photography category winner
This photo may look like an abstract art piece, but that’s a very real crane fly perched on a leaf in Goalpara, a city in Assam, India. These long-legged, winged insects resemble giant mosquitoes, but they don’t bite or sting.
Macro wildlife photographer Bidyut Kalita used a steady mobile light to track the fly’s movements and a speed light to freeze its body, capturing the insect in sharp focus as well as a ghostly blue aura that reveals the motion of its legs.
Thief in the Spotlight, Wildscape & Animals in Habitat category winner
Amid a cluster of unusually shaped trees in Georgia’s Vashlovani National Park, wildlife photographer Sergey Bystritsky staged a haunting nighttime scene. He used soft lights to illuminate the area and flashes and fabric to guide a fox into view, snapping a photo as this nocturnal predator prowled across the foreground.
Vashlovani National Park boasts a mosaic of ecosystems, ranging from deserts and semi-deserts to steppes and unique, shallow forests. Its wildlife is equally diverse, home to hundreds of plant and animal species.
This is just a small sampling; you can check out more winning images at the contest website.
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