The winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) People’s Choice Award has been announced. The winner, titled ‘World of the snow leopard’, was taken by German photographer Sascha Fonseca.
Among the four ‘Highly Commended’ finalists are a dramatic image of a leopard carrying a dead monkey and its baby, a photo showing red foxes greeting one another, a polar bear cub playing amongst flowers and a striking capture of a male lion in Kenya.
Sascha Fonseca captured this image during a three-year bait-free camera-trap project high up in the Indian Himalayas. Known as the ‘ghost of the mountains’, this elusive species is incredibly challenging to photograph in the wild due to their camouflage and stealth, as well as scarce numbers, in remote, rugged habitats. With an estimate of only 6,500 adults living in the wild, these big cats face the threats of poaching, habitat loss and human-animal conflict.
The photo will be displayed in the redesigned WPY exhibition at the Natural History Museum until 2 July 2023. The fifty-ninth competition is currently being judged by a panel of experts, and the winners will be revealed in October 2023.
WPY is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.
Check out the WPY People’s Choice finalists below:
WPY People’s Choice Award finalists:
Among the flowers by Martin Gregus, Canada
Location: Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Technical details: Nikon D850 + 14–24mm lens; 1/640 at f6.3; ISO 100; Aquatech housing; pocket wizard trigger
Among the flowers by Martin Gregus, Canada. Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Award finalist.
Martin watched this polar bear cub playing in a mass of fireweed on the coast of Hudson Bay, Canada. Every so often the cub would take a break from its fun, stand on its hind legs and poke its head up above the high flowers to look for its mother.
Wanting to capture the world from the cub’s angle, Martin placed his camera – in an underwater housing, for protection against investigating bears – at ground level among the fireweed. He then waited patiently a safe distance away with a remote trigger. Not being able to see exactly what was happening, Martin had to judge just the right moment when the bear would pop up in the camera frame.
Fox affection by Brittany Crossman, Canada
Location: North Shore, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Technical details: Canon 5D Mark IV + 500mm lens; 1/1600 sec at f7.1; ISO 2000
Fox affection by Brittany Crossman, Canada. Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Award finalist.
On a chilly day in North Shore on Prince Edward Island, Canada, a pair of red foxes, greet one another with an intimate nuzzle.
The red fox’s mating season is in the winter, and it is not uncommon to see them together prior to denning. This special moment is one of Brittany’s favourite images and one of the tenderest moments she has witnessed between adult foxes.
Holding on by Igor Altuna, Spain
Location: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Technical details: Canon EOS-1D X Mark III + 600 mm f4 lens; 1/2500 sec at f4; ISO 800
Holding on by Igor Altuna, Spain. Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Award finalist.
This leopardess had killed a monkey in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. The monkey’s baby was still alive and clinging to its mother. Igor watched as the predator walked calmly back to her own baby. Her cub played with the baby monkey for more than an hour before killing it, almost as if it had been given live prey as a hunting lesson.
Portrait of Olobor by Marina Cano, Spain
Location: Masai Mara, Kenya
Technical details: Canon EOS-1D X Mark III + 600mm f4 lens; 1/800 sec at f8; ISO 800
Portrait of Olobor by Marina Cano, Spain. Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice finalist.
It was late afternoon when Marina found Olobor resting. He is one of the famous five-strong coalition of males in the Black Rock pride in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. All around the lion, the ground was black, having been burnt by local Maasai herdsmen to stimulate a new flush of grass. Marina wanted to capture his majestic and defiant look against the dark background and lowered her camera out of her vehicle to get an eye-level portrait.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 58 exhibition at Natural History Museum
A redesigned exhibition featuring all of the awarded images opened at the Natural History Museum in London on Friday 14 October. The flagship show includes short videos, quotes from jury members and photographers. Plus insights from the scientists who work at the museum. Visitors are invited to explore how our human actions have an impact on the natural world. The London exhibition closes in July 2023 and will then tour across the rest of the UK as well as to international venues across Europe and the rest of the world.
- Open Friday 14 October 2022 and closes Sunday 2 July 2023.
- The exhibition is open Monday – Sunday, 10.00-17.50 (last admission at 16.30), and weekends sell out quickly.
- Adult tickets from £17.00*, concession tickets £13.50*, and child £10.25* (*Prices excluding optional Gift Aid donation to the Museum.) Book your tickets here.
- The exhibition was designed by a team led by RIBA Stirling Prize winning Witherford Watson Mann architects. We worked with graphic design studio Wolfe Hall, and Lightheory Studio, TM Lighting and Fine Art Lighting.
Use #WPY58 on social media.
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