The 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest has started again. As always, this prestigious contest is open to the public around the world to vote for the best of the 25 pre-selected winners.
These **, continuing the characteristics of the past, reflect the original beauty of the natural world, but at the same time, they are also a reminder of the impact of human beings on the surrounding environment.
The works are pre-selected by the Natural History Museum in London (which hosts the entire exhibition) and by an international jury. They pre-selected a whopping 49,957 entries from 95 different countries. The public can now vote online for favorites, ranging from a pair of seemingly kissing hares, polar bears sleeping on icebergs, and grizzly bears standing upright in the sparkling waters of a lake.
A polar bear sleeps on a Xiaoice mountain and drifts to Svalbard, Norway.
A green bee tries to enter the stone nest bee's clay burrow in mid-air, while another smaller green bee is below.
A bull elephant kicks through garbage at a garbage dump in Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka, in search of rotting vegetables and fruits.
In Maasai Mara, Kenya, a pair of lions are concentrating on grooming their cubs.
In the low-lying forests of Costa Rica, a pygmy round-eared bat returns to a termite nest, while two well-camouflaged family members look out from the inside.
In Australia's Roebuck Bay, a mudskipper fiercely defends its territory from crab invasions.
In the fjords outside Tromso in northern Norway, the Northern Lights illuminate a large expanse of jellyfish in the cool autumn waters.
In the Jezreel Canyon, Israel, a Balkan pond turtle is peacefully coexisting with a dragonfly.
On a neighbourhood street in London, a little fox hides in a garbage can before garbage collection day.
Atka Bay, Antarctica, a penguin couple and their chicks.
In a corner of the Cabriel River in Spain's Albarracin Mountains, a painting-like landscape of reeds and aspens.
On a rock in the foothills of the Jewish mountains in Israel, a red fox and its cub look at each other.
In the Monadhliath Mountains of Scotland, two courting hares touch their noses together.
In the Chilco River in British Columbia, Canada, a grizzly bear who was busy catching salmon in the river suddenly saw the photographer and immediately stood up.
The rarest wild dog in the world (Ethiopian wolf), resting in Mount Bell National Park, Ethiopia.
*The deadline for public voting is January 31, 2024. The winners and top four entries will be announced in February, and a live exhibition will be held at the Natural History Museum in the UK. Vote** Yes.