the annual wildlife photographer of the year competition brings together more than 45,000 images showcasing earth’s extraordinary diversity and the fragility of animal life on our planet. organized by the natural history museum, london, the competition chooses winning images based on their artistic composition, technical innovation and truthful interpretation of the natural world. this year, dutch photographer marsel van oosten was awarded the title of wildlife photographer of the year 2018 title for ‘the golden couple’, an image of a pair of golden snub-nosed monkeys in the forest of china’s qinling mountains. here, designboom gathers a few of its favorite category-winning entires.

wildlife photographer of the year
the golden couple by marsel van oosten, the netherlands
grand title winner 2018, animal portraits

 

 

an exhibition of winning images opens on october 19,  2018 at the natural history museum, before touring across the UK and internationally.

wildlife photographer of the year
signature tree by alejandro prieto, mexico
winner 2018, wildlife photojournalist award: story

wildlife photographer of the year
hellbent by david herasimtschuk, USA
winner 2018, behaviour: amphibians and reptiles

wildlife photographer of the year
bed of seals by cristobal serrano, spain
winner 2018, animals in their environment

wildlife photographer of the year
kuhirwa mourns her baby by ricardo núñez montero, spain
winner 2018, behaviour: mammals

wildlife photographer of the year
lounging leopard by skye meaker, south africa
grand title winner 2018, 15-17 years old

wildlife photographer of the year
pipe owls by arshdeep singh, india
winner 2018, 10 years and under

wildlife photographer of the year
mud-rolling mud-dauber by georgina steytler, australia
winner 2018, behaviour: invertebrates