19 stunning photos of wildlife 2026; From the mourning elephant to the secrets of the deep ocean

From the mourning of elephants to the hunting of whale sharks and the hidden world of mushrooms; Get to know the selected images of the 2026 wildlife photography contest.

Ambassador Arjan - An impressive image of a large elephant carrying a dead baby elephant has earned Italian photographer Federico Veronesi the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. This photo, which depicts an unusual and emotional moment in the life of elephants, is one of the winners of this year's competition, along with a collection of stunning images of wildlife, birds, insects and the underwater world.

While following elephants in the Hoab River Valley in Namibia, Veronzi noticed unusual tracks in the sand of the dry river bed. Following these tracks, he reached a female elephant carrying a dead baby elephant; The foot of the small elephant was stuck between the tusk and the trunk of the big elephant.

Veronzi initially assumed it was the mother elephant, but after sharing his photos with a research group active in the study of elephants in the area, it became clear that such a conclusion could not be made with certainty. The researchers identified this elephant as a female who had lost her child a few years ago and had previously carried the dead children of other elephants with her.

This encounter was a profound and unforgettable experience for Veronzi. "In all the 20 years I've been photographing animals, this has been my most moving, surprising and dramatic experience," he said of the photo. He sees this image as a window to the depth and complexity of animal emotions.

Veronzi hopes that his photo will help people to see beyond the appearance of animals and recognize them as creatures with their own identity, relationships, memories and emotions. According to him, this image is a small window that reveals only a small part of the complexity of the animal world.

In the following, we will have a look at other selected images of this competition.

Category: Youth and 11-14 age group grand winner

Location: Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe

Oscar Whitfield lowered his camera to the ground and photographed the angle of the insect's eye to show the amount of force that the rolling dung beetle expends to do its job.

While on a family car ride in the Zimbabwean countryside, near where he lives in Victoria Falls, he saw a cockroach struggling to roll a pile of dung up a sandy slope. A group of flies was also moving behind the cockroach's head.

After trying different angles and compositions, Whitfield finally captured a moment that perfectly illustrates the difficulty and effort required to pull off this seemingly simple task.

He hopes that the audience will realize that even in a small moment of the natural world, many things are going on and value it more.

Category: Age group 10 years and below

You don't necessarily need a professional camera or a trip to a faraway destination to capture an award-winning photo. Emily Davis captured this image in the garden using her father's smartphone.

Category: Animals in natural habitat

Location: Chiulu Hills National Park, Kenya

James Levine captured a dreamy black-and-white image of a young male elephant spraying water at zebras at a watering hole.

To achieve this different visual effect, he used a camera that was modified to capture infrared images. This technique allowed him to soften the usually harsh light of the environment and create a different scene of animal interaction in nature.

The common octopus is more common in the warmer waters of the Mediterranean Sea, but as water temperatures rise in the spring due to climate change, sightings of this animal in the south-west of England have increased dramatically.

Aaron Sanders captured a special moment when he saw an octopus eye peeking out from behind seaweed. He says about this encounter: "We remained completely still and looked at each other; it was as if there was a common curiosity between us."

This picture shows a moment of a close encounter between humans and one of the amazing creatures of the underwater world.

It is estimated that there are less than 5,300 adult shoe-tip storks left in the wild. Despite this limited population, Isaac Pretorius managed to photograph two examples of these birds while traveling by canoe and accompanied by a guide; Two birds that are likely to be a breeding pair and gather materials to build their nest.

Despite the bird's name, the shoe-tip stork is more closely related to pelicans, herons, and egrets than to common storks.

This image, in addition to showing the unique appearance of these birds, draws the audience's attention to the importance of protecting rare species.

Birdsong, painted with light

Category: 15 to 17 years old age group

As spring approaches, male black toukas seek high spots to sing and find mates.

Konrad Gerter captured this photo at dawn in a vineyard; When birds sing their most complex vocal patterns. The combination of morning light and the presence of the bird at a high point has created an eye-catching picture of the natural behavior of this species.

Location: Lumpini Park, Bangkok, Thailand

To capture this image, Seth Forrestson lowered himself down to the mud level to capture a common blue heron against the Bangkok city skyline.

These adaptable reptiles live in cities throughout South and Southeast Asia and can use a variety of food sources. Fish such as catfish and koi are also among their foods.

This photo is an example of the adaptation of wildlife to urban environments and the coexistence of animal species with humans.

Location: Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu Island, Japan

According to the Natural History Museum, this image is possibly the first photographic record of the mating ritual of Murray Abbott's eels.

To capture this little-observed behavior, Tony Wu worked with biologists, using low-intensity red light and a custom fish-eye lens to minimize disturbance to the animals.

This photo is an example of the role of wildlife photography in recording behaviors that are difficult to observe and document in the natural environment.

Category: Journalism Visual Narrative Award

It is estimated that about 100 coyotes live in San Francisco; A city with a large human population. The presence of these animals in the urban environment has created a complex relationship between wildlife and city residents.