Some of the best images from the NHS Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

The Natural History Museum (NHS) is previewing the best images it has received from its 59th Annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

While the top 100 will be on display at an exhibition in London on October 13 (including the winners for each category and the prestigious Grand Title and Young Grand Prizes), the Natural History Museum is highlighting some of the best images it has received from a total of 49,957 entries from 95 different countries. .

While there are many more images to come, this set of preview images features the unusual interplay of a macaque jumping on a deer shot by Atsuyuki Oshima, and the drama of a snow leopard hunting Pallas’ cat witnessed by Donglin Zhou along with a capture by photographer Michal Ciarik as picture. A team opens a box to check on a tiger cub evacuated from Ukraine. Jasper Dost shares with us the painful story of an elephant struck by a train in Gabon.

“What impressed the judging panel most was the range of themes, from sheer beauty, rarely-seen behaviors and species, to images that are stark reminders of what we do with the natural world,” says Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury. “We felt a strong tension between wonder and woe that we believe have come together to create a thought-provoking collection of photographs.”

As is the case every year, after the conclusion of the main exhibition of winners at the Natural History Museum in London, the portraits will begin a tour across the UK and around the world with the aim of bringing the best in wildlife photography to millions of people around the world. The Natural History Museum also says it hopes to invite them to act on behalf of the planet and help preserve its natural beauty.

Tickets for the London show are Available at present.

Image credits: All images are individually registered and provided by the Natural History Museum.