The silhouette of a lone grizzly bear, a photo of a sleeping red panda, and a pair of cuddling lions are just some of the top winners at this year’s Zoological Society of London (ZSL)’s fourth annual wildlife photography competition.
This impressive bear image taken by photographer Andy Skillen in the Alaska Greater Lake Clark National Park area, has surpassed competition from more than 450 entries for the top prize.
Wading in the water to get his winning shot, Mr. Skillen said: ‘I had only a split second to capture and portray the landscape’s grandeur, and at the same time the all-dominant presence that only a grizzly can impart to a wilderness scene.”
Judged by a panel of expert judges including TV presenter Kate Humble and conservationist Bill Oddie, the competition aims to raise awareness and celebrate the wonders of the natural world.
Participants submitted their photos in six categories: ‘The Last Chance to See,’ ‘The Perfect Moment,’ ‘Weird and Wonderful,’ ‘Size Matters,’ ‘The Birds and the Bees,’ and ‘Deep and meaningful.’
Adult runner up in The Perfect Moment category – ‘The Strongest Bond’ by Tom Way shows two lions nuzzling with their eyes closedAdult runner up in the Deep and Meaningful category – ‘Turtle Portrait’ by Michael Gallagher shows a close-up of a swimming turtleThe Judges Choice and winner of the Size Matters category – ‘Timeless’ was captured by photographer Andy Skillen who saw the lone grizzly bear patrolling the beaches of the Greater Lake Clark National Park area with Alaska’s mountains providing an iconic backdropAdult winner in the Weird and Wonderful category – ‘Bright Eyes’ by Carolyn Collins shows a green tree frog with bright blue eyesRunner up in the Last Chance to See category – ‘Sleeping beauty’ by Tianha Williams shows an adorable curled-up, dozing red pandaJudges choice and junior winner of The Perfect Moment category – ‘Droplets’ by Gideon Knight is a close up of beads of water on a birdJunior winner of the Size Matters category – ‘Parenthood’ by Alex Wendelken captures a moment between one baby elephant and its tusked parent
Adult runner up of The Perfect Moment category – ‘Anoura Geoffroy’s tailless bat’ by Nicolas Reuse shows the moment a bat feedsAdult Runner Up in the Size Matters category – ‘The biggest traffic jam’ by Cathy Withers-Clarke shows four elephants of varying sizes strolling down a roadAdult runner up in the Weird and Wonderful category – ‘Spot me’ by Simone Scarprodossi (left). Junior runner up in the Deep and Meaningful category – ‘In the deep’ by Regan English (right)Adult runner up in The Birds and the Bees category – ‘Orange-tipped butterfly’ by Samuel Bayliss shows the colourful insect feedingJunior runner up in the Weird and Wonderful category – ‘Lost in a crowd’ by Connie Beith shows a zebra surrounded by others in its herdAdult winner of The Birds and the Bees category – ‘A present for my love’ by John Gooday shows a male European Bee-eater presenting a female with a food gift of a dragonfly as part of a courtship ritual
