While hiking in the Lepini Mountains of central Italy, teenage wildlife photographer Andrea Dominzi stumbled upon abandoned machinery in an area once logged for beech trees. Soon, he realized he wasn’t the only observer.
A longhorn beetle of the species Morimus asper made the perfect subject for the above photograph, titled “After the Destruction.” The image, framed as though the beetle is looking out over the disturbed patch of forest, tells a poignant story of habitat loss and hope for renewal. It won Dominzi the Young Grand Title in the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
“The photographer has given M. asper authority in this image,” marine biologist and underwater photographer Jennifer Hayes, one of this year’s judges, said in a release. “It does exactly what a strong photograph should do—it increases our understanding.”
This annual competition, organized by the Natural History Museum in London, showcases the best wildlife photos of the year. Read on to see more of this year’s jaw-dropping award winners.
Animals in Their Environment category winner
Marine conservation photojournalist Shane Gross waited for several weeks to capture this rarely seen peppered moray eel behavior on D’Arros Island, Amirante, Seychelles. Peppered moray eels can hunt both above and below the water’s surface and are well-adapted to the intertidal zone. These three were scavenging for dead fish when Gross spotted them and snapped a photo.
Photojournalist Story Award winner
Photographer and biologist Javier Aznar González de Rueda explores the complex relationship between humans and rattlesnakes throughout the U.S. He spotted this black-tailed rattler on the road at night outside of Fort Davis, Texas. González took this picture as the snake raised its tail and began rattling to ward off the perceived threat of the snake handler who moved it from the road.
Behavior: Birds category winner
Photographer Qingrong Yang was at Yundang Lake near his home in Fujian province, China, when he captured this stunning moment. He regularly visits this lake to photograph feeding frenzies—when little egrets fly low over the surface to grab fish leaping to escape underwater predators. During this one, he snapped a photo the second a ladyfish snatched its prey right out from under a little egret’s beak.
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