The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has unveiled a selection of shortlisted images from this year's entries, featuring scenes from a black bear swimming in a Southern California pool to a leopard chasing a squirrel up a tree.
The Natural History Museum released the preview ahead of the winning images being announced on 13 October 2026. The shortlist comprises 100 images selected from a record-breaking 65,403 entries.
Standout entries capture dramatic moments
Among the striking entries is a split-second shot by photographer Jens Cullmann, who got down to eye level with an aggressive African bullfrog as it lunged at - and missed - a passing African babul butterfly. Cullmann noticed tadpoles on a previous visit after heavy rains and returned the following month to find ponds and puddles full of young bullfrogs. He spent more than two weeks watching the young frogs 'eat everything that moved'.
Other highlights include Ernest Porter's intimate capture of an oxpecker cleaning its bill against a rhino's thick hide, and the fast-paced action of a young leopard pursuing a nimble squirrel in Botswana's Okavango Delta.
Jury chair praises record entries
Chair of the Jury Kathy Moran said: "Every year I think the entries to our competition can't get any stronger and every year I am proven wrong!"
She added: "Selected from a record-breaking 65,403 images, this preview presents just a small insight into the 100 incredible images in store for visitors to our exhibition in October. These images pave the way for a deepened appreciation and commitment to our natural world."
Diverse categories showcase global wildlife
The shortlisted images span various categories, including Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles, Behaviour: Mammals, Animals in their Environment, Behaviour: Birds, Animal Portraits, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture, Behaviour: Invertebrates, Oceans, Photojournalism, and youth categories.
One image by Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen shows an adult orca supporting the body of a calf in the freezing waters of a Norwegian fjord. Aasen had just launched a drone to document sightings for the Norwegian Orca Survey when he noticed the adult orca carrying a deceased calf, occasionally dropping it and then retrieving it as it sank. Although difficult to witness, Aasen felt it was 'important to document the moment'.
Dewald Tromp captured a chameleon battling a sandstorm in the Namib Desert, where the wind picked up and it became difficult to breathe. Tromp recalled that 'in a matter of seconds, you could hardly see the person next to you'.
The exhibition opens in October, showcasing the 100 shortlisted images that highlight the diversity and fragility of the natural world.
