‘Heartbreaking’ elephants and wily coyotes: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 - in pictures

Key Points:

• The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 grand prize was awarded to Federico Veronesi for his black-and-white photo titled ‘The Aftermath,’ showing a female elephant carrying her deceased calf in Namibia, highlighting elephants' emotional consciousness.
• Oscar Whitfield, aged 14, won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 for a photo of a dung beetle in Zimbabwe, emphasizing the insect's ecological role in reducing greenhouse gases and aiding decomposition.
• Urban wildlife was a prominent theme among winners, with Loren Elliott documenting coyotes in San Francisco and Seth Forestson capturing a monitor lizard in Bangkok, illustrating how animals adapt to city environments.
• Underwater photography revealed both intimate marine animal encounters and human impacts on ocean ecosystems, including Aaron Sanders’ octopus portrait off Cornwall and Alex Lindbloom’s image of a whale shark near Indonesia, highlighting species affected by environmental changes and human activity.
• James Lewin’s photo ‘The Meeting Place’ depicted diverse species, including elephants and zebras, interacting at a Kenyan waterhole, showcasing how critical habitats facilitate unexpected wildlife gatherings during drought conditions.