15 Spectacular Wildlife Photos Winners of the 2024 World Contest (15 Photos)

The competition was held in several categories, each of which had its own winner and two runners-up. The overall winner was British photographer Tracey Lund for her underwater action photography.





There is no need to look for the beauty that lies in the very existence of nature, it is everywhere. But there are those corners that not everyone can reach. The World Nature Photography Awards aims to highlight the best wildlife photographers who demonstrate the majesty of the living world around us.

Gold medalist in the Animal Portrait category



The Australian photographer told the story of his winning photo:

I knew about this black anglerfish that lives in a reef that I dive regularly and wanted to create a portrait that would highlight the character of this ambush predator.

Silver and bronze medalists

Winner in the category "Life of Mammals"



A Belgian photographer captured this moment of the hunt while walking through the habitats of topi herds, gazelles and zebras in East Africa.

Winner in the category “Life of Amphibians and Reptiles”



I took this photo during a trip to the Galapagos Islands. They were full of the famous marine iguanas and lava lizards. This was the only time I've ever seen a lizard basking on an iguana's head and they both clearly enjoyed the experience with beatific smiles!

Gold medalist in the category “Invertebrate Life”



In Puerto Egas, on Santiago Island in the Galapagos Islands, as the day wore on, Sally Lightfoot's colorful crabs returned to the lava-covered shoreline. I knew that when a wave comes in, the crabs press together, holding on tightly to avoid being washed away, so I set up a tripod and pre-focused on the rocks, setting the shutter speed very low to blur the moving water and keep the still crab sharp.

Winner in the category "Art of Nature"



An Israeli photographer captured a stunning image of Iceland, where ice and natural sediments merge to form colorful shapes that spark our imagination.

Gold medalist in the category “People and Nature”



A Greek photographer spoke about his experience in Sri Lanka:

Fishermen on stilts try to catch their luck during the sunset tide in Koggala. Here the movement of the water contrasts with the stillness of the fishermen. Traditional fishing methods such as these do not pose a significant threat to the ocean's natural resources and, instead, give local communities a stake in maintaining a healthy ocean.

Silver medalist in the same category



Winner of the Plants and Mushrooms category



A photographer from Thailand visited Doi Hua Mot Mountain to photograph a strangely shaped owl-like creature he had heard about from another photographer. The scientific name of this plant is Thismia thaithongiana. Even though it's just a plant, it looks ominous.

Gold medalist in the Landscapes category



This is how winter looks like in Stoksnes, Iceland, through the eyes of an Italian photographer. Black sand beach and the majestic Mount Vestrahorn.

Winner in the category "Black and White"



An American photographer said that while in Kenya, he patiently waited until late at night for a leopard to appear in order to capture this graceful moment. Look at the artistic symmetry in the picture!

Winner, Urban Wildlife Category



The nest, built in a dilapidated dragon hanging on the porch of a residential building, was constantly tossed by the wind in all directions. I spent hours watching the male and female take turns flying, adding twigs, feathers, hair and even clothing tags that they collected nearby to build a perfectly shaped nest. They spent days flying back and forth, passionate about their mission, not paying attention to the people sitting nearby. Finally, the female was satisfied and agreed to pose at the entrance to her new home. Even the dragon couldn't help but smile.

Silver winner in the Birds category



The photo was taken by a Sri Lankan photographer in his home country.

Main winner of the competition and gold medalist in the “Birds” category



The photo was taken while on holiday in the Shetland Islands. Thousands of cormorants then soared in the sky above us, and then began to dive into the sea for local fish. It was an incredible sight, not to mention the filming itself.