Sleepy seals, a “dancing” stoat and a caiman’s fatal encounter with a jaguar are among the highly commended images in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The 60th edition of the contest received a record 59,228 entries from people of all ages and experience levels from 117 countries and territories, according to a press release from organizers the Natural History Museum, in London.

They were judged by a panel on their creativity, originality and technical excellence.

The highly commended images feature in a range of categories, including 10 years and under, natural artistry, animals in their environment, underwater, and oceans: the bigger picture.

Among the images, a selection of which is featured in the gallery above, is a poignant image of a frosted deer on a forest floor on an icy winter morning. The image has become the first ever photograph taken with a smartphone to be given a highly commended honor at the competition.

Along with the striking image showing the end of a mule deer doe’s life, taken using an iPhone XR, are other photographs showing remarkable scenes of nature.

“In this selection you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues,” said Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel, in the release. “These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world - the beauty and the challenges. It is a powerful selection with which to kickstart a milestone anniversary.”

The competition's winning photographs will be announced on 8 October, followed by an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, showcasing 100 photographs.

For this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Natural History Museum of London attracted a record-breaking 59,228 entries from photographers of all ages and experience across 117 countries and territories.

Young owls preparing to leave their parent’s nest, a furtive moonlight hunter, the tough life of female Burrowing bees and a David Bowie spider are a sneak peek at the extraordinary images selected by the Wildlife Photographer Of The Year jury.

Entries were judged anonymously on their creativity, originality and technical excellence by an international panel of industry experts. The winners of each category, and the prestigious Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards, will be announced on October 8, 2024.

The exhibition of the 100 award-winning images will open at the Natural History Museum on October 11. To mark the 60th anniversary, the museum’s flagship exhibition will also feature a timeline of key moments in the competition’s history.

This year, the organizers have introduced a new Impact Award in both the young and adult competitions to recognize conservation success, a story of hope and/or positive change: “The special prize is part of the Natural History Museum’s vision of a future where both people and planet thrive.”

Among the newly-released Highly Commended images is a first-ever-awarded smartphone image showing the successful completion of a mule deer doe’s circle of life, the complex relationship of mating lions, the distressing moment a shark was hauled aboard a Spanish longliner in the Southern Atlantic Ocean and in the 10 Years and Under category, an atmospheric image of a peafowl in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, India.

“In this selection you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues,” explains Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel. “These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world — the beauty and the challenges. It is a powerful selection with which to kickstart a milestone anniversary.”

A “Dancing” Stoat and a Jaguar’s Deadly Bite: Images of Wildlife, Beauty and the Challenges of Our Planet

One of the highly commended photographs was taken by Jose Manuel Grandío at Athos, in France’s Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and features a “dancing” stoat. The photographer witnessed the small mammal hurling itself about in a fresh snowfall, an expression of exuberance. Scientists believe this behavior may be an attempt to confuse prey, a form of communication or even a parasitic infection.

Another striking photograph, taken by Ian Ford in the Pantanal region of Brazil, depicts a jaguar delivering a fatal bite to a caiman. Ford was alerted by radio that a jaguar had been spotted prowling the banks of the São Lourenço River, and he was in the perfect position to capture the moment the cat delivered the skull-crushing bite.

The South American Pantanal wetland is home to the highest density of jaguars anywhere in the world. With abundant prey, these solitary cats have been seen fishing, traveling and even playing together.

A Frosted Deer and a Playful Manatee: A Smartphone Photo Makes History and Captures a Unique Moment

Among the highly commended images, one particularly noteworthy photograph was taken using an iPhone XR. This poignant image captures the frosted form of a mule deer doe on the forest floor on a cold winter morning. The image, by Randy Robbins, is the first ever smartphone photograph to be given a highly commended honor at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Robbins was checking trail cameras near his home when he found the body of the doe. The photographer recalls that the doe had raised several sets of fawns on his property over several years, and he had often recorded their antics on his trail cameras. “I see this image as a reminder of the fragility of life and the grand design of it all,” Robbins concludes.

Another highly commended image highlights the playful nature of manatees, large aquatic mammals often called sea cows. The image, captured by Jason Gulley, a geologist, shows a manatee calf and its mother drifting underwater in Hunter Springs, Florida.

Gulley told the BBC in an interview that he doesn’t normally take photos for competitions. But, he was so captivated by the playful behavior of the manatees that he felt compelled to document their interactions. He explained to the BBC: “The first time I got into the water with manatees, I saw them being super playful with each other. They were curious and inquisitive. There was one manatee that became super curious about me, and he would leave the other group of manatees and walk on his flippers, and he'd get about halfway towards me and then run back to the group on his flippers. A couple of minutes later, he'd come just a little bit closer and then go back, and it just reminded me of experiences like at a dog park.”

A ‘Ziggy’ Spider and a Moment of Hope: Diversity and Resilience in the Natural World

One of the highly commended photographs features an unusual spider, Heteropoda davidbowie, named in 2008 by arachnologist and Bowie fan Dr Peter Jäger for its striking markings that resemble the make-up worn by the singer during the 1970s.

Lam Soon Tak, the photographer of the image, found this “Ziggy” spider perched on broken branches beside a river in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. The bright white disc of eggs in the spider’s jaws and its orange body stood out against the lush green moss. The image serves as a reminder of the extraordinary diversity of life on our planet.

Another highly commended image highlights a hopeful moment in the fight for conservation. Taken by Dr. Jason Gulley, the image shows a manatee calf and its mother drifting underwater in Hunter Springs, Florida. This area had experienced an algal bloom that caused a decline in the eelgrass beds, a vital food source for manatees. But, thanks to the efforts of the local community, the habitat was restored, resulting in more manatees being recorded than ever before. The image is a powerful testament to the positive impact that human action can have on the environment.

The Next Generation of Wildlife Photographers: The Future of Conservation

In the 10 Years and Under category, a highly commended photograph depicts an Indian peafowl in Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, India. The image was taken by Shreyovi Mehta, who spotted the peafowl while walking in the forest with her parents. The image highlights the beauty of the natural world and the importance of protecting our planet’s biodiversity for future generations.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition serves as a platform to showcase the world’s best nature photography and wildlife photojournalism. The exhibition of the 100 award-winning images will open at the Natural History Museum on October 11, 2024 and run through June 29, 2025.

A Glimpse into the Future of Wildlife Photography: The Importance of Conservation and Storytelling

The highly commended photographs in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition offer a glimpse into the future of wildlife photography and the growing importance of conservation and storytelling. From the first-ever smartphone photograph to be highly commended to the images showcasing the beauty and challenges of our planet, these photographs remind us of the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of protecting our environment for future generations. The winning images and the exhibition will be a testament to the power of photography to inspire change and to connect people to the natural world.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is a global platform for the world's best nature photography and wildlife photojournalism.