An Italian photographer has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for his moving image of a mother elephant cradling her deceased calf. Federico Veronesi’s photograph, titled “The Aftermath,” was taken in Namibia’s Huab River Valley while he was observing elephants and noticed a grieving female elephant with her calf’s leg caught between her tusk and trunk.
Describing the winning photo as emotionally powerful and intellectually compelling, jury chair Kathy Moran highlighted its ability to evoke deep emotions and demonstrate animal cognition. The image not only clinched the top prize but also secured victory in the Behaviour: Mammals category.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, organized by the Natural History Museum in London, aims to raise awareness about nature and environmental issues. This year’s edition attracted a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories, with awards presented to adult and young photographers.
Among the winners was Oscar Whitfield, a young British photographer, who won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year prize for his captivating close-up shot of a dung beetle pushing a dung ball. The competition also featured Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, a Canadian citizen living in Germany, who received the Rising Star Award for his striking photo of a robber fly preying on a flesh fly.
While no Canadian photographers took home individual category prizes, several Canadian entries received “highly commended” recognition. The exhibition showcasing the winning photographs, including those by Canadian photographers, will be displayed at various museums, including the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria.
In addition to Veronesi’s poignant elephant image, other category winners include images of a common carder bee, a California newt with eggs, fluorescent bonnet mushrooms, and a bull elephant spraying water on zebras in Kenya’s Chyulu Hills. Each photograph captures unique moments in the natural world and showcases the beauty and diversity of wildlife.