In brief
In 2026 the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award honored Italian photographer Federico Veronesi for his moving image of an elephant carrying a dead calf in Namibia’s Huab River Valley. The photo captured a complex emotional moment, challenging assumptions about animal behaviour and urging viewers to see wildlife as individuals with memories and feelings. The exhibition, opening at the Natural History Museum on 16 October, features 30 winning images that span continents and themes—from dung beetles in Zimbabwe to whale sharks off the coast of Papua, each illustrating the power of photography to reveal hidden depths and foster conservation awareness.
The 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition crowned Italian wildlife photographer Federico Veronesi as the champion. His evocative photograph shows an adult elephant lifting the body of a dead calf with its trunk, a scene captured while he followed unsettling drag marks on a dry riverbed in Namibia’s Huab River Valley.
Veronesi initially thought the elephant might be the calf’s mother, but researchers confirmed that the animal had previously rescued dead calves belonging to other females. The encounter, which Veronesi described as “heart‑wracking, fascinating and dramatic,” highlights the deep emotions and social bonds that shape animal behaviour.
The winner’s image is a powerful reminder that wildlife can be seen beyond mere physical forms and instead as sentient individuals with relationships, memories and feelings. His photograph invites us to look deeper into the complexities of the natural world.
The annual exhibition will open at the Natural History Museum on Friday 16 October 2026 and promises to showcase an impressive array of award‑winning images. Highlights include a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung uphill in Zimbabwe, a black‑eyed octopus poised beneath kelp in Greece, and a rare footage of captive‑breeding shoebill storks in Uganda.
In the Young Grand Title category, Oscar Whitfield of Zimbabwe/UK captured a dung beetle in action, while 10‑year‑old Amelie Davis of the UK photographed a waiting bumblebee at a flower in Surrey, England. The Adults category featured a photograph of a young bull elephant spraying zebras at a waterhole in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills National Park, shot by James Lewin.
The exhibition also shines a light on urban wildlife, such as a common water lizard surveyed by Seth Forestson in Bangkok’s Lumphini Park, and coyotes navigating San Francisco’s Bernal Heights Park captured by Loren Elliott.
Macroscopic and microscopic subjects are represented as well: a highly detailed image of a hardy Antarctic, the glowing spider‑like slipper conker dragon, and the ethereal ghost of a dead puma posed as a trophy in Patagonia, photographed by Francisco Negroni.
The event not only celebrates technical excellence but underscores the role of photography in fostering empathy toward wildlife and raising awareness about the challenges facing ecosystems worldwide.
