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Lazy lions, excitable elephants and lurking sharks are just some of the creatures that have stolen the show at this prestigious photography comp

It takes a whole lot of skill to capture our planet’s wonderful wildlife in their truest and most authentic form, and that’s precisely what the coveted annual competition Wildlife Photographer of the Year strives to champion.
Every year, the most impressive photographs snapped by camera-wielding pros from all over the planet are announced at a London ceremony, and now, the best shots from the 2026 entries (in what is the sixty-second competition) have been crowned.
Below is a roundup of Time Out’s favourite winning photos, from dozing lions and over-excited elephant calves to acrobatic frogs and sneaky sharks.
You can take a look at all the winning images in the National History Museum’s official website, and find information about the exhibition and how to get tickets.
Fancy a laugh? Here are all the funniest photos from the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards this year, and you can also view a handful of last year’s winning photos from WPOTY.
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