“The Final Portrait” by Nima Sarikhani
The world’s largest wildlife photography competition has revealed the finalists for its 2025 People’s Choice Award. Organized by the Natural History Museum, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition continues to spotlight nature through powerful visual storytelling. This year, 24 images are vying for the public’s vote.
Each shortlisted photograph captures a moment that feels both intense and urgent. Together, they reflect the beauty, tension, and vulnerability of life on Earth.
The finalists span a wide range of subjects and emotions. Some images highlight tenderness, such as a baby sloth clinging tightly to its mother. Others reveal nature’s harsher realities—a deer carries the head of a defeated rival after a territorial clash, while young kestrals square off before their first fight.
Several photographs document the effects of climate change. One image shows polar bears resting during a rare summer melt. The scene offers a quiet but unsettling reminder of a warming planet. These moments do not rely on spectacle alone. Instead, they invite viewers to pause and reflect.
Many of this year’s finalists blur the line between fine art and documentary photography. A superpod of dolphins moves in unison as it hunts near the ocean’s surface. A spider blends seamlessly into the bark of a tree, nearly invisible at first glance. Flamingos stand in sharp contrast to an industrial setting behind them.
Each image combines technical skill with intention. These keen-eyed photographers use composition, timing, and light to tell stories about survival, coexistence, and environmental pressure. The result feels both visually striking and emotionally grounded.
The People’s Choice Award puts the decision in the hands of the public. Unlike jury selected prizes, this award reflects emotional connection rather than technical criteria alone. Viewers choose the photograph that resonates most with them.
This approach reinforces a central idea of the competition: conversation begins with awareness. When people feel connected to an image, they often feel compelled to protect what it represents.
These shortlisted photographs also appear as part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. The exhibition runs through July 12, 2026. It features the top 100 images from this year’s competition. Visitors can expect to encounter dramatic landscapes, close-up animal portraits, and layered visual narratives. Captions and short films also accompany the photographs. These elements explain how photographers captured each moment and why the subject matters. The exhibition encourages visitors to slow down and look closely. It transforms photography into a space for learning and reflection.
Whether viewed online or in person, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 reminds audiences of what is at stake. These images celebrate nature while urging viewers to protect it.
You can vote now on your favorite from the shortlist. Voting remains open through March 18, 2026.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has unveiled 24 finalist images selected for the 2025 People’s Choice Award.
“Bond in Motion” by Lalith Ekanayake
“Beak-to-Beak” by Ponlawat Thaipinnarong
“A Leap into Adulthood” by Peter Lindel
The shortlisted photographs capture intimate wildlife moments while addressing climate change, survival, and human impact.
“Family Rest” by Christopher Paetkau
“Swirling Superpod” by Cecile Gabillon
“Beauty Against the Beast” by Alexandre Brisson
“Flying Rodent” by Josef Stefan
“Never-ending Struggle” by Kohei Nagira
The images appear in a global public vote and in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum until July 12, 2026.
“Ready to Pounce” by Joseph Ferraro
“A Fragile Future” by Lance van de Vyver
“A Fleeting Moment” by Lior Berman
“Into the Furnace” by Mogens Trolle
“Dancing in the Headlights” by Will Nicholls
“Dark Knight” by Prasenjeet Yadav
“Portrait of Extinction” by Adam Oswell
“Hold Me Tightly” by Dvir Barkay
“Precious Cargo” by Thomas Hunt
“Along for the Ride” by Chris Gug
“Uniqueness” by Daniela Anger
“Marvellous Spatuletail” by Dustin Chen
“Above and Below” by Charles Davis
“Hold Me Tightly” by Dvir Barkay
“Solar Waves” by Francesco Russo
