2022 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

London’s Natural History Museum, which runs the competition, announced the winning images this week and will display them in an exhibition which opened the past week in London. It will eventually tour across the United Kingdom and other venues in Europe, as well as North America (including Texas and Michigan), Australia and New Zealand.

Junji Takasago, Natural Artistry Category winner, “Heavenly flamingos” High in the Andes, Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt pan. It is also one of Bolivia’s largest lithium mines, which threatens the future of these flamingos.

The museum said in a release that an international panel of experts had selected the 19 finalists out of more than 38,000 entries from nearly 100 countries, based on their “originality, narrative, technical excellence and ethical practice.” Then, they awarded two of those winners — one in each age category — the top prize.

Photojournalism category winner Brent Stirton: Ndakasi’s passing. Senkwekwe Center, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Stirton photographed Ndakasi’s rescue as a 2-month-old after her troop was brutally killed by a charcoal mafia as a threat to park rangers. Ndakasi laid in the arms of her rescuer and caregiver of 13 years, ranger Andre Bauma.

American photographer Karine Aigner was named wildlife photographer of the year for a close-up shot of a “buzzing ball of cactus bees spinning over the hot sand on a Texas ranch” that she calls “The Big Buzz.” Check out the incredible image below.

Karine Aigner/Wildlife Photographer of the Year. The big buzz. South Texas, USA. The world’s bees are under threat from habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. With 70% of bee species nesting underground, it is increasingly important that areas of natural soil are left undisturbed.

Organizers will be accepting entries for next year’s contest — from photographers of all ages, experience levels and nationalities — between Oct. 17 and Dec. 8. This gives you plenty of time to plan your masterpiece. You can check out the application at: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/competition

To check out the rest of the winners incredible images, or to read an article about the winner, check out npr’s article at: https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2022/10/13/1128370495/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2022-winners