Amazing wildlife photos compete for top prize

Ever seen a penguin take a giant leap, or a lion stare down a snake?

Photographers from all over the planet have snapped the most amazing animal moments.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has chosen a selection of stunning photos from nature, each with a chance of winning the competition’s top prizes.

This year, a record-breaking 60,000 pictures from 113 different countries and territories were entered. A team of experts in photography, filmmaking, conservation, and science are picking their favourites.

This photos was entered by Jamie Smart in the under-10s category.

It shows a red deer stag giving a mighty bellow during the autumn rut in Bradgate Park in Leicester.

To get the perfect shot, she walked at a safe distance along a path and stretched up tall so the grass didn't block her view.

'What a lovely tail you’ve got!'

Parham Pourahmad from the United States, in the Age 11–14 category, caught a magical moment in the California morning light.

It shows a coyote's eyes peaking through the tail of another coyote - possibly his sister.

Coyotes can live almost anywhere and are commonly seen across North and Central America and Parham had followed the pair across rocky hills for hours before getting this shot.

For the Animals in their Environment category, Bertie Gregory from the UK took this image of an ice edge journey - the moment fledgling emperor penguin chicks walk along the edge of an ice shelf.

Bertie photographed the baby emperor penguins in Antarctica as they waddled to the edge of the ice.

Most chicks take an icy ramp down to the sea - but this group didn't. Instead, they took a risky 15-metre (49-foot) leap into the ocean!

In the Behaviour: Mammals category Gabriella Comi from Italy was in the Serengeti in Tanzania, as she watched a cobra slither straight toward two sleepy lions.

Suddenly, the eldest lion leapt up to face the snake.

Talk about a dramatic showdown! (Or maybe the cobra just wanted to say hello…)

In Monterey Bay, California, Ralph Pace found himself in swirly mass of jellyfish called Pacific sea nettles.

To avoid too many painful stings, he covered his skin with petroleum jelly.

He says the stings feel more like bee stirngs than nettles.

The photo was submitted for the Underwater category.

Also underwater, but this time in the Wetlands: The Bigger Picture category, Isaac Szabo from the United States photographed a female longnose gar surrounded by males.

There was even a turtle drifting through the scene, which Isaac called "the icing on the cake".

In the Photojournalism category, Lakshitha Karunarathna captured the sight of an Asian elephant walking through a rubbish dump in Sri Lanka.

Elephants often search for food in open landfill sites.

Conservationists say it's vital to keep wildlife safe from dangerous materials such as plastic waste.

It looks like a scene from Batman's cave!

In the Urban Wildlife category, Sitaram Raul took this photo of fruit bats leaving their roost in the ruins of a historical monument in the town of Banda in India.

The category winners and the Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards will be announced on Tuesday 14 October 2025 at a ceremony hosted at the Natural History Museum.

Winners will be announced by wildlife TV stars Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin and can be watched on the museum's YouTube channel.