If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to make eye contact with a leopard, come face to face with a bison or say hello to a hippo, then you have to check out the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Now in its 59th year, the exhibition comprises the award-winning entries of the world’s most prestigious nature photography prize, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London.
In each and every image, the beauty, majesty and vulnerability of the natural world is on display.
Opening image: Coot on ice by Zhai Zeyu. Highly commended, 10 Years and Under.
Her beauty and her terror
This year the prize received an incredible 50,000 entries from avid wildlife photographers around the globe, which were then judged by an international panel of experts on criteria such as originality, narrative, technical excellence, and ethical practice.
The 100 award-winning photographs showcase the spectacular species, unique behaviours and fragile landscapes of our natural world, and will be sure to take your breath away.
As Australian National Maritime Museum CEO and Director Ms Daryl Karp AM says, “These are powerful, beautiful and perfectly timed images that surprise, inspire and amaze. There is no better space to lose and immerse yourself in this planet’s natural world.”
From the smallest tadpole to the marvellous killer whale, the exhibition encourages audiences to shift their perspective, and understand the importance of protecting and advocating for all species.
The ancient mariner by Laurent Ballesta
Winner: Portfolio Award
In the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, French marine biologist and photographer Laurent Ballesta went looking for an ancient species. The tri-spine horseshoe crab has survived for more than 300 million years but now faces habitat destruction and overfishing. Its blood has also been used in the development of vaccines, including the Covid vaccine. Ballesta sees the horseshoe crab as a symbol of survival against all odds.
Life on the edge by Amit Eshel
Winner: Animals in their Environment
This dramatic cliffside clash between two Nubian ibex lasted for about 15 minutes before one male surrendered, and the two parted without causing serious injury. In the lead up to mating season, battles like these are common between males and can often result in broken horns.
Whales making waves by Bertie Gregory
Winner: Behaviour: Mammals
A pod of B1 Antarctic killer whales preparing to ‘wave wash’ a weddell seal off a piece of sea ice and into the water so they can eat it. The bubbles are thought to be part of the way they communicate with each other to form these waves. However, this behaviour may soon become a thing of the past, as rising temperatures result in seals staying more on land.
Possum’s midnight snack by Caitlin Henderson
Highly commended: Urban Wildlife
Caitlin Henderson had a visit from an unexpected guest when she stumbled across a possum snacking on a large cicada on her balcony in Queensland. This mother possum also has a baby in its pouch.
War cub by Michał Siarek
Highly commended: Photojournalism
Michał Siarek documented efforts to evacuate animals from fighting hotspots in eastern Ukraine in 2022. At the Polish border, the animals were re-crated and rushed to Poznań Zoo in Poland, then on to sanctuaries in Europe. This photo records the moment a team from Poznań Zoo opened a crate to check on an evacuated tiger cub. More than 200 animals have since been saved.
Hippo nursery by Mike Korostelev
Winner: Underwater
Mike Korostelev reveals a hippopotamus and her two offspring resting in a shallow clear-water lake in South Africa that Mike has been visiting for over two years. He spent just 20 seconds under water with them – enough time to get this image from a safe distance and to avoid alarming the mother. Hippos only produce one calf every two to three years, and their slow-growing population is particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation, drought, and illegal hunting for meat and ivory from their teeth.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year opens at the Australian National Maritime Museum from June 16 and runs until November 2024. Book your tickets here.
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