WPY 2021 - The People's Choice Award - BBC Discover Wildlife
Browse the shortlisted images for The People's Choice Award of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021, then vote for your favourite.
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About the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is world-famous for showcasing fantastic wildlife images from around the world, and has been running for almost 60 years.
The fifty-eighth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is open for entries from photographers of all ages, nationalities, and experience levels, and will close on Thursday 9 December at 11.30am GMT. The international jury of industry experts has been announced, and the entry fee for photographers entering from 50 countries will be waived.
This year's competition attracted over 50,000 entries from professionals and amateurs across the world, and was won by French underwater photographer and biologist Laurent Ballesta with his image of camouflage groupers in French Polynesia
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London (NHM). The competition was originally founded in 1965 by BBC Wildlife Magazine, then called Animals. The NHM joined forces in 1984 to create the competition as it is known today, and now solely runs and owns it.
The People's Choice Award are 25 images, in addition to the 100 photos chosen by the judging panel, which are voted on by the public.
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"The People's Choice Award offers striking observations of nature and our relationship with it, sparking our curiosity and strengthening our connection with the natural world," says Dr Natalie Cooper, a researcher at the Natural History Museum and member of the judging panel. "It's an incredible challenge to pick just one of these images, so we're looking forward to discovering which wild moment emerges as the public's favourite."
The 25 images are currently on display at the highly acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, until the voting ends. The winner will then be showcased until the exhibition closes on 5th June 2022.
The top five People's Choice Award images will also be displayed online, joining the winners of the fifty-seventh Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition chosen by the panel of judges and announced earlier this year.
Vote online for the winner of the People's Choice Award on the NHM website, and closes at 2pm (GMT) on 2nd February 2022.
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To view the images as a slideshow, click on the arrows in the top right hand corner of the photos below.
Dozens of plains zebra had showed up to drink at Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia – a popular location for the animals of the area to quench their thirst caused by the searing heat of the sun. Packed closely together and moving as one, the zebra lowered their heads to get water and, almost immediately, robotically lifted them again to scan for danger.
This went on for five minutes and their stripes reminded Lucas of a living barcode. Focusing hard, his aim was to capture only one with its head up and, just before the herd left, he got the image he thinks best showcases these iconic black-and-white striped animals.
It is a two-hour helicopter ride from the nearest town to this spot on the Fishing Branch River in Yukon, Canada – a location where the river never freezes however cold it gets. The salmon run occurs in the late autumn here and for the grizzly bears of the area this open water offers a final chance to feast before hibernating.
It was averaging around -30°C (-22°F) and Andy had been waiting and hoping that one particular female bear would use this log to cross the stream. Eventually she did just that and he got the picture he'd envisioned – her fur, wet from fishing, had frozen into icicles and 'you could hear them tinkle as she walked past'.
Zhang was visiting China's Qinling Mountains to observe the behaviour of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey. The mountains' temperate forests are the endangered monkeys' only habitat, which in itself is under threat from forest disturbance. Zhang loves to watch the dynamics of the family group – how close and friendly they are to each other.
And when it is time to rest, the females and young huddle together for warmth and protection. This image perfectly captures that moment of intimacy. The young monkey's unmistakable blue face nestled inbetween two females, their striking golden-orange fur dappled in light.