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The Wildlife Photographer of The Year contest is celebrating its 55th year. The prestigious
competition attracts naturalists, and photographers alike and to be selected a
winner is a prestigious crown of glory in the photography fraternity. This year there have been some mesmerizing
photographs and the winner was Yongqing Bao for an outstanding photograph of a
spontaneous moment that was both terrifying and comical. Take a look at 21 of the best wildlife photos
of 2019.
1. The Moment" By Yongqing Bao,
China, Behavior: Mammals, Grand Title Winner
This was the
winner and the overall best wildlife photo of 2019. It showed a Himalayan
Marmot just out of hibernation being suddenly attacked by a female Tibetan Fox
who had three of her own hungry cubs to feed. The lightning reflexes of the photographer captured the moment with the fox baring its teeth and the marmot startled
out of its wits.
2. "Bee Line" By Frank
Deschandol, France, Behavior: Invertebrates, Highly Commended 2019
Frank
Deschandol photographed these solitary bees as they buzzed in the long grass and
preparing for suitable resting places. The females had built their nests for
resting nearby.
3. "Lucky Break" By Jason
Bantle, Canada, Urban Wildlife, Highly Commended 2019
When a shy raccoon
poked her head out of an abandoned car, it was a golden opportunity for
photographer Jason Bantle. The raccoon and her five cubs had found a nice
hideout to stay in that kept them hidden from predators.
4. "Land of the Eagle" By
Audun Rikardsen, Norway, Behavior: Birds, Winner 2019
This is a
spectacular photograph taken from a camera trap set up by photographer Audun
Rikardsen. It took him three years to get this photograph right when he captured
the power of the eagle flying to land
with its outstretched talons.
5. "Portrait of a Mother"
By Ingo Arndt, Germany, Animal Portraits, Highly Commended 2019
6. "Cool Drink" By Diana
Rebman, USA, Behavior: Birds, Highly Commended 2019
Diana Rebman
braved temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius to get it's beautifully choreographed
shot of long-tailed tits trying to peck at an icicle. Long-tailed tits live
across Europe and Asia and in winter they nibble on snow and ice for water.
7. "Snow Landing" By
Jérémie Villet, France, Rising Star Portfolio Award, Winner 2019
This is a
stunning bald eagle focused on its prey and landing on a snowy covered riverbank.
Photographer Jeremie Villet took a week of observation to reach a good position
for capturing the portrait. Almost 3000 bald eagles collect at Chilkat River in
Alaska to feed on salmon.
8. "If Penguins Could Fly" Behavior:
Mammals, Highly Commended 2019: By Eduardo Del Alamo, Spain,
A Gentoo
penguin fleeing as a leopard seal suddenly jumps out of the water to attack it.
9. "Sky Hole" By Sven
Začek, Estonia, Earth’s Environments, Highly Commended 2019
This is a
drone photograph that was taken directly above a small lake in Karula National Park in
Estonia.
10. Big Cat and Dog Spat" By
Peter Haygarth, UK, Behavior: Mammals, Highly Commended 2019
Photographer
Peter Haygarth captured an unusual spat between a lone cheetah and African wild
dogs. Because they were in a group, their confidence grew to try and attack the
cheetah but the cat fled soon after.
11. "Snow-Plateau Nomads" By Shangzhen Fan, China, Animals in Their Environment, Winner 2019
A winning
photograph of a herd of male chirus making its way to the warm area of the
Kumukuli Desert. Antelopes are specialists in high altitude traveling and are found
only on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.
12. The Equal Match" By Ingo
Arndt, Germany, Behavior: Mammals, Joint Winner 2019
High drama
unfolding in the wild with a puma attacking a guanaco who is terrified. This
photo is the result of months of tracking wild pumas and bearing up extreme
cold.
13. "Night Glow" By Cruz
Erdmann, New Zealand, 11-14 Years Old, Grand Title Winner
This incredible
shot was taken when the photographer was enjoying a night dive with his father.
He spotted the pair of big fin reef squid in the shallow water and he instantly
photographed it after adjusting his camera. Big Reef Squid are masters of camouflage
and keep changing their body color and patterns through reflective and
pigmented skin cells.
14. "Humming Surprise" By
Thomas Easterbrook, UK, 10 Years and Under, Winner 2019
15. "Tapestry of Life" By
Zorica Kovacevic, Serbia/USA, Plants, and Fungi, Winner 2019
This is one
awesome photograph of a Monterey cypress tree with its arms twisting to create
a surreal canopy festooned with orange and velvet.
16. "Cradle of Life" By
Stefan Christmann, Germany, Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award, Winner 2019
17.
Biswas found this crab spider mimicking a weaver ant whose colony it had infiltrated. Crab spiders usually do that for a quick meal. The photo was taken from a macro setting.
19. "The Huddle" By Stefan Christmann,
Germany, Wildlife Photographer Portfolio Award, Winner 2019
20. "The Albatross Cave" By
Thomas P Peschak, Germany/South Africa, Animals In Their Environment, Highly
Commended 2019
21. "Early Riser" By Riccardo
Marchegiani, Italy, 15-17 Years Old, Winner 2019
