Federico Veronesi Wins Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2026

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Italian photographer Federico Veronesi has received the top honor at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for his striking black-and-white image,“The Aftermath.” The photograph depicts a female elephant carrying her deceased calf, offering a rare look into animal behaviors that are not yet fully understood. Veronesi, who had been tracking elephants in Namibia's Huab River Valley, discovered unusual drag marks before encountering the family, with the adult elephant carrying the calf's leg between her trunk and tusk.

A statement from the competition noted,“Behaviors centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalisations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased.” The statement added,“Some researchers suggest these behaviors could indicate an elephant's journey to understanding death, while others interpret these actions as possible displays of grief.” Veronesi also won the Behaviour: Mammals category.

The 62-year-old competition saw its largest turnout ever, with 65,403 entries from photographers across 121 countries. Other notable winners include Kutub Uddin (Bangladesh/U.K.) for his“Tiny Dancers” portfolio featuring slime molds, Loren Elliott (U.S.) for“On the Outskirts” from his“Wily Coyotes of San Francisco” portfolio, and Amelie Davis (U.K.) in the 10 and Under category for her portrait of a bee landing on a flower in Surrey, England.

Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, stated:“This year's winning photographs demonstrate the extraordinary power of wildlife photography to help us see nature differently. Together they remind us that every species plays a role in the complex web of life, and why understanding and protecting the natural world has never been more important.”

The top 100 images from this year's competition will be on view starting October 16 at the Natural History Museum in London. The exhibition will run through July 11, 2027. The winning photographers represent a range of categories including photojournalism, wetlands, plants and fungi, and youth categories. Other winners include Francisco Negroni (Chile) for“Warning Sign,” James Lewin (U.K.) for“The Meeting Place,” Agorastos Papatsanis (Greece) for“Shedding Light,” Anton Sorokin (U.S.) for“Protective Pose,” Alex Visbal (Colombia) for“The Great Divide,” and Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas (Germany) for“Afternoon Snack.”

We previously reported:

National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore has documented 18,567 species for his Photo Ark project, aiming for 25,000 to inspire conservation.

Source: This Is Colossal

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