The Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s People’s Choice Award winner was announced on Thursday: The honor went to German photographer Sascha Fonseca for his gorgeous sunset shot of a snow leopard — an elusive species known as “the ghost of the mountains.”
A staggering 60,466 people voted on 25 photos this year, taken by photographers around the globe and whittled down from a pool of nearly 39,000 submissions. The competition, which is developed and produced by the National History Museum in London, announced the grand title winners, chosen by the judges, this past October.
To capture the “dream” image of the snow leopard, a notoriously hard-to-photograph animal due to its dwindling population, furtiveness, and ability to blend in with the remote landscape, Fonseca undertook a three-year “bait-free” camera trap project in the Indian Himalayas.
In a statement released by the National History Museum, Fonseca said he was “incredibly proud” to win the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award and elaborated on the significance behind his art form.
“Photography can connect people to wildlife and encourage them to appreciate the beauty of the unseen natural world,” he shared. “I believe that a greater understanding of wildlife leads to deeper caring which hopefully results in active support and greater public interest for conservation.”
Highly Commended
Fox affection by Brittany Crossman, Canada
Brittany Crossman / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Among the flowers by Martin Gregus, Canada
Martin Gregus / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Portrait of Olobor by Marina Cano, Spain
Marina Cano / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Holding on by Igor Altuna, Spain
Igor Altuna / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
See below for the other stunning shots that were in the running. (Please note that voting has ended.)
The frog with the ruby eyes by Jaime Culebras, Spain
Jaime Culebras / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The World Wildlife Fund shares that these primates “are regarded as monogamous,” and they “pair up for life and form a family that stays together until the offspring grow up and leave home.” They stay bonded by spending hours grooming their mates.
Bertie Gregory / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Caribbean crèche by Claudio Contreras Koob, Mexico
Claudio Contreras Koob / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Life and art by Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal, Spain
Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Red and yellow by Chloé Bès, France
Chloé Bès / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Heads or tails? by Jodi Frediani, USA
Jodi Frediani / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Fishing for glass eels by Eladio Fernandez, Dominican Republic
Eladio Fernandez / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Caught by the cat by Michał Michlewicz, Poland
Michał Michlewicz / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Covid litter by Auke-Florian Hiemstra, Netherlands
Auke-Florian Hiemstra / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A golden huddle by Minqiang Lu, China
Minqiang-Lu / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A tight grip by Nicholas More, UK
Nicholas More / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Head to head by Miquel Angel Artús Illana, Spain
Miquel Angel Artús / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Wasp attack by Roberto García-Roa, Spain
Roberto García-Roa / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Hyena highway by Sam Rowley, UK
Sam Rowley / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
That’s the spot! By Richard Flack, South Africa
Richard Flack / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Night encounter by Sami Vartiainen, Finland
Sami Vartiainen / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A fox’s tale by Simon Withyman, UK
Simon Withyman / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The elusive golden cat by Sebastian Kennerknecht, USA
Sebastian Kennerknecht / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Snowshoe hare stare by Deena Sveinsson, USA
Deena Sveinsson / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Unlucky for the cat by Sebastian Kennerknecht, USA
Sebastian Kennerknecht / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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