These are the best wildlife photos of the year. And they are creating quite the buzz
These are the winning entries of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and they are sure to make you go wild. Buzzy bees, the reproductive dance of a giant sea star, and a polar bear gazing through the window of an abandoned house are some of our favourites
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The Big Buzz: Karine Aigner gets close to the action as a group of bees compete to mate. Karine captured the flurry of activity as a buzzing ball of cactus bees spun over the hot sand. After a few minutes, the pair at its centre – a male clinging to the only female in the scrum – flew away to mate. Image Courtesy: Karine Aigner/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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Ndakasi’s Passing: Brent Stirton shares the closing chapter of the story of a much-loved mountain gorilla. Brent photographed Ndakasi’s rescue as a two-month-old after her troop was brutally killed by a powerful charcoal mafia as a threat to park rangers. Here he memorialised her passing as she lay in the arms of her rescuer and caregiver of 13 years, ranger Andre Bauma. Image Courtesy: Brent Stirton/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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Shooting Star: Tony Wu watches the electrifying reproductive dance of a giant sea star. As the surrounding water filled with sperm and eggs from spawning sea stars, Wu faced several challenges. Stuck in a small, enclosed bay with only a macro lens for photographing small subjects, he backed up to squeeze the undulating sea star into his field of view. The dancing posture of spawning sea stars rising and swaying may help release eggs and sperm, or may help sweep the eggs and sperm into the currents where they fertilise together in the water. Image Courtesy: Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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The Bat-snatcher: Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar waits in darkness as a Yucatan rat snake snaps up a bat. Using a red light to which both bats and snakes are less sensitive, Fernando kept an eye on this Yucatan rat snake poking out of a crack. He had just seconds to get the shot as the rat snake retreated into its crevice with its bat prey. Image Courtesy: Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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The Great Cliff Chase: From a vantage point across the ravine, the photographer watched the snow leopard manoeuvre uphill from a herd of Himalayan ibex. It was perfectly suited for the environment – unlike Nambiar, who followed a fitness regime in preparation for the high altitude and cold temperatures. Image Courtesy: Anand Nambiar/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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New Life for the Tohorā: A hopeful moment for a population of whales that has survived against all odds. Hindered by poor visibility, Robinson used a polecam to photograph the whales gradually moving towards his boat. Pushing his camera to its limits, he was relieved to find the image pin-sharp and the moment of copulation crystallised in time. Image Courtesy: Richard Robinson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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House of Bears: Dmitry Kokh presents this haunting scene of polar bears shrouded in fog at the long-deserted settlement on Kolyuchin. On a yacht, seeking shelter from a storm, Dmitry spotted the polar bears roaming among the buildings of the long-deserted settlement. As they explored every window and door, Dmitry used a low-noise drone to take a picture that conjures up a post-apocalyptic future. Image Courtesy: Dmitry Kokh/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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Puff Perfect: José Juan Hernández Martinez witnesses the dizzying courtship display of a Canary Islands houbara. José arrived at the houbara’s courtship site at night. By the light of the moon, he dug himself a low hide. From this vantage point he caught the bird’s full puffed-out profile as it took a brief rest from its frenzied performance. Image Courtesy: José Juan Hernández Martinez/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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Under Antarctic Ice: Living towers of marine invertebrates punctuate the seabed off Adelie Land, 32 metres (105 feet) under East Antarctic ice. Here, at the centre, a tree-shaped sponge is draped with life, from giant ribbon worms to sea stars. Image Courtesy: Laurent Ballesta/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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The Listening Bird: Nick Kanakis gains a glimpse into the secret life of wrens. Nick spotted the young grey-breasted wood wren foraging. Knowing it would disappear into the forest if approached, he found a clear patch of leaf litter and waited. Sure enough, the little bird hopped into the frame, pressing its ear to the ground to listen for small insects. Image Courtesy: Nick Kanakis/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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