Nature inFocus photography competition 2025: flamingos, foxes and a chilled out chimp

A light blue shell-shaped Paper Nautilus is touching one end of a brown leaf

Winner: Young photographer

Nautilus on the move by Tinnapat Netcharussaeng During a nighttime blackwater dive, a female Paper Nautilus clings to a drifting leaf, using it as a temporary refuge in the open seaLocation Anilao, PhilippinesPhotograph: Tinnapat Netcharussaeng/Nature inFocus
A fox stalks in front of tall tree trunks at night

Winner: Wildscape & animals in their habitat

Thief in the spotlight by Sergey Bystritsky In a cluster of unusually shaped trees, the photographer sets soft lights using flashes and fabric to guide a fox into viewLocation Vashlovani national park, GeorgiaPhotograph: Sergey Bystritsky/Nature inFocus
A small leopard looks off to the side of the camera next to a large cow carcass. Both are on top of a pile of rubbish and next to a road there car lights are visible

Winner: Conservation

Edge of two worlds by Rajat Chordia and Vidhan DwivediA young leopard feeds on a cow carcass beside rubbish and fast-moving trafficLocation Udaipur, IndiaPhotograph: Rajat Chordia Vidhan Dwivedi/Nature inFocus
An Arctic wolf walks across snow-covered ground with blood on its face. In the background a dark cluster of muskox is visible, horns pointed towards the wolf

Winner: Animal behaviour

Ancient rivalsby Amit EshelAn Arctic wolf shows signs of a recent hunt as a muskox herd forms a defensive circle, horns facing out to guard their calvesLocation Ellesmere Island, CanadaPhotograph: Amit Eshel/Nature inFocus
The faint blue glow of a cranefly's legs is illuminated against the dark. The cranefly is resting on a thin green leaf

Winner: Creative nature

Blue Aura by Bidyut KalitaA cranefly settles on a thin leaf. Using a steady mobile light to trace its motion and a speedlight from another angle to freeze its body, the photographer captures the insect sharply while its delicate legs glow in a soft blue auraLocation Goalpara, IndiaPhotograph: Bidyut Kalita/Nature inFocus
A chimpanzee rests on its back in a thick twisted vine

Winner: Animal portraits

The canopy watcher by Federica CorderoIn the forests of Uganda, a young male chimpanzee lounges effortlessly on a twisted vineLocation UgandaPhotograph: Federica Cordero/Nature inFocus
Black and white image of flamingos in shallow water. In the background skyscrapers are visible

Winner: Coexistence

Urban Oasis by Sarthak Agrawal At Ras Al Khor, flamingos feed peacefully within view of Dubai’s towering skyline. This urban wetland, which hosts over 25,000 migratory birds each winter, thrives amid rapid development – filtering water, storing carbon, and sustaining life even as the city expands around itLocation Ras Al Khor wildlife sanctuary, DubaiPhotograph: Sarthak Agrawal/Nature inFocus
A Komodo dragon in clear water

Special mention: Wildscape & animals in their habitat

Cooling on the Coast by Suliman Alatiqi After days of fieldwork with local rangers, the photographer captures a Komodo dragon resting in shallow coastal water. As cold-blooded animals, they use water and mud to cool themselves and often swim or walk along the seabed while searching for food or matesLocation Komodo, IndonesiaPhotograph: Suliman Alatiqi/Nature inFocus
A black and white image of flock of birds that looks like tiny black dots in the air beside a tall building

Runner-up:

Creative nature Patterns in the Sky by Raghuvamsh ChavaliA flock of birds sweeps across the sky in a graceful synchronised arc beside a towering city building, forming a delicate pattern – a reminder that even in dense urban spaces, the rhythms of nature still unfold above usLocation CanadaPhotograph: Raghuvamsh Chavali/Nature inFocus
A frog resting on green leaves

Runner-up: Wildscape & animals in their habitat

Green Within Green by Pratik PradhanA Malabar gliding frog rests on a yam-footed plant. Blending into the layered greens around it, the frog becomes part of the habitat, showcasing how these amphibians use colour and form to stay hidden.Location Amboli, IndiaPhotograph: Pratik Pradhan/Nature inFocus
Lobsters on one side of a red, rocky crevice and about seven small sharks on the other

Special mention: Young photographer

Crevice Companions by Tinnapat NetcharussaengIn a rocky crevice, Caribbean spiny lobsters gather on one side while resting whitetip reef sharks occupy the other. The unusual pairing shows how very different species find safety in the same underwater sheltersLocation Socorro Island, MexicoPhotograph: Tinnapat Netcharussaeng/Nature inFocus
Black and white image of two elephants rest their heads against each other, one with its trunk up and one with its trunk down

Special mention: Young photographer

A Tale of Two Trunks by Rohan Neel ShahIn the Maasai Mara, two elephants intertwine their trunks in a gentle moment of play. The black-and-white frame accentuates the texture of their skin and their shared quiet connectionLocation Maasai Mara national reserve, KenyaPhotograph: Rohan Shah/Nature inFocus
A large spider drags a fish out of the water

Runner-up: Animal behaviour

Catch of the day by Kashyap Naresh RavalA fishing spider lives up to its name as it rests at the edge of a waterbody, holding its freshly caught fishLocation Kollur, IndiaPhotograph: Kashyap Naresh Raval/Nature inFocus
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