animals
April 18, 2024

Wildlife Photography: The best pictures of the year

Monkey in the hot tub Dutch photographer Jasper Doest photographed this macaque in Japan. What you do not see: The rest of the body sits in a hot spring, which the monkeys like to visit in winter. With so much deep relaxation your eyes are already falling ...

In the dryKim Wolhuter from South Africa won the special award for endangered species. For the past four years he has observed wild dogs in the Malilangwe Reserve in Zimbabwe, which are increasingly suffering from human or environmental influences. When the picture was made, he had followed a pack that ran for miles on search of water - to find the spring completely dried up.

Eerie meetingEver since he first encountered a caiman while snorkeling, the Brazilian Luciano Candisani is fascinated by the dangerous animals. "As long as the caimans focus on a school of fish, you're safe," says the photographer. Thanks for the tip - we prefer to dive in the pool anyway.

Water to goThe Australian fruit bats have a very special way to drink: they fly very low over the water surface, so that the belly is wetted, and then lick the drops of water from the fur. To take this shot during the day, photographer Ofer Levy stood in the water for several hours a day up to his stomach for a week - at over 40 degrees.

Lost? A lone polar bear cautiously seeks his way on thin ice floes. Through the fisheye lens used by Briton Anna Henly, the picture gains additional symbolic power. Because the melting of the poles has an impact on the whole planet.

In the narrow corner The picture is part of a report by the American photojournalist Steve Winter. He documents how animal rights activists are trying to protect the threatened tigers. And yet the number of wildlife is steadily decreasing.

Luftifuchs A fox on the hunt in Yellowstone National Park. Lightning fast and surprisingly high he jumped through the snow - and the photographer Richard Peters out of the picture.

The big escape The Black Sea is the destination of this huge flock of red-necked geese, photographed by Yves Adams. There overwinter 80% of all representatives of this species, every year it is less.

trafficThe main prize of the category "Young Photography" went to Owen Hearn from England. He was a teenager when he switched on the Red Milan and the passenger plane.

First place: Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year

bathing The main winner of this year's competition is Canadian Paul Nicklen. To photograph this flock of penguins as they surfaced, he remained motionless with the camera under an ice floe. He was rewarded with a unique sight.