10 of the best: Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year
- Published
"The good life": this picture by Daniël Nelson from the Netherlands won the Grand Title Winner's Prize and was also voted the best picture by 15-17 year olds. This chillin' gorilla was snapped after a 3 hour hike in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, in the Republic of Congo. Daniël says he wanted to raise awareness of the endangered animals. Daniël first used a camera when he was 6, on a family trip to Zambia. He grew up in Amsterdam but his passion for wildlife photography has taken him all over the world.
"In the grip of the gulls": This picture by Ekaterina Bee was the winner of 10 Years And Under Award. Ekaterina, who's from Italy, is interested in nature and enjoys swimming, dancing, photography and ice skating. She speaks Italian and Russian and is also beginning to learn English! Congratulazione, Ekaterina!
"Stuck in": This amazing picture of a fox hunting in the snow was taken by Ashleigh Scully from America and won the first prize for the 11-14 year olds. Ashleigh has been photographing wildlife since she was eight years old. She particularly likes to photograph predators, including red foxes, coyotes, bears and large wild cats such as mountain lions, lions and cheetahs.
"Black kites, red sunset": Next up is this spooky image of the silhouette of kites in a tree on the Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, Rajasthan, India. Dhyey Shah became interested in wildlife when he was four years old. He started taking photographs in 2011, focusing on birds. He says he would like to discover more of India's wildlife, and dreams of visiting Madagascar. This picture was one of the finalists in the 10 years and Under Award.
"Wolf Watch": Yikes, look at this scary character! Lasse Kurkela, Finland took this picture of a wolf in Kajaani, Finland and it was a finalist in the competition for 11-14 year olds. Lasse lives in southern Finland and has been interested in nature and animals for most his life. He has received several awards for his photographs as well as an environmental achievement award from his home town.
"Boar crossing": This picture by Marc Albiac of wild boars sneaking across a main road, was taken in Barcelona. Marc began taking pictures of wildlife, mainly mammals, when he was seven. He has since taken photos around Spain, and has visited Ireland, England, Italy and France. This was a finalist in the 15-17 year old's competition.
"The hairy raincoat": what an interesting picture - this is a view you don't often see of a monkey moth caterpillar! It was taken by Josiah Launstein in Thailand. Monkey moths are named after their furry adult bodies, but when they're still caterpillars they are even hairier. The hairs are even water-resistant, protecting the insect from daily rain showers. But their main job is protection – making the juicy caterpillar less tasty looking to birds and small mammals that might be looking for a snack! Yuk
"Road hog": Finalist 10 and Unders. Evalotta Zacek from Estonia took this picture when she was out for the evening on one of the family’s ‘animal drives’, looking for deer and foxes at the edge of a forest. They stopped the car to allow this wandering hedgehog to cross, and "in return it posed for a photo", she says. How kind!Hedgehogs can travel over a kilometre on their night-time strolls to find food such as beetles and slugs.
"Cold catch": This otter has just missed gobbling up a tasty frog. His sharp teeth look ready to snap! This pic was taken by Fred Zacek from Estonia and was a finalist in the 10 and Unders. Fred enjoys being outside, going on long hikes and experiencing nature. He is especially keen on insects and mammals
"Glimpse of a lynx": One of the world’s most endangered cats, the Iberian lynx is only found in two small groups in southern Spain. Laura Albiac Vila snapped this one in the Sierra de Andújar Nature Park. Laura began taking photographs when she was five years old. Her favourite place to take pictures is Ancares, in the mountains of León in northern Spain, which she visits every year with her family. This photo was a finalist in the 11-14 year olds category.