Wildlife Photographer of the Year: First competition images expose human impact on fragile world of nature
The annual competition showcases some of nature's lesser-known behaviours and habitats. Nearly 50,000 entered their photographs, 15 of which have received highly commended awards.
Thursday 31 August 2023 06:12, UK
A scar-faced fox, a hitch-hiking macaque and two storks hunting by a controlled fire are among the first images released in this year鈥檚 Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
The competition showcases some lesser-known behaviours and habitats while exposing the impact humans have on the fragile natural world.
Out of nearly 50,000 entries from 95 countries, photographers are judges anonymously on their creativity, originality and technical skill.
Kathy Moran, chairwoman of the judging panel, said the range of images are "stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world".
Developed and produced by London's Natural History Museum, below are 15 images that have been highly commended ahead of the winners' awards ceremony on 10 October.
Among the images is a fox in a Kent rehabilitation centre after being attacked - likely by dogs. It is called The face of the persecuted and was taken by Neil Aldridge.
Another is called Firebirds and depicts two white storks hunting alongside a fire in Kenya that had been lit to clear bushland, captured by Elza Friedlander.
Caitlin Henderson was able to snap a possum munching on insects in the middle of the night outside her balcony window in Queensland, Australia.
And Atsuyuki Ohshima caught the moment a macaque sprang from a tree on to a deer on the Japanese island of Yakushima.
A rare snow leopard hunting a Pallas's cat in China, was captured by Donglin Zhou.
A mason bee, building its home from twigs, was snapped in Germany by Solvin Zankl.
Other aspects of nature captured included the swirling spores of a mushroom in Greece.
Coral from UK seas, taken by Alex Mustard.
And a seal, dubbed The vanishing seal, taken by Bruno D'Amicis in Italy.
Snow bison in the US were taken by Max Waugh.
A photo titled War cub shows a tiger cub protesting after being evacuated from eastern Ukraine, taken by Michal Siarek.
While Jasper Doest titled his image of an elephant blowing mud out of its trunk, Fight to the death.
A Coot running on ice was taken by Zhai Zeyu, and is another image that has been highly commended.
Shashwat Harish from Kenya captured a leopard crossing a river, calling the image The catwalk.
And Jef Pattyn submitted a black and white image of a fisherman dragging a huge fish along a beach, titled Prize catch.