A Sri Lankan photographer has managed to win the prize in the “Behaviour: Mammals” category at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2024 held in London’s Natural History Museum.
After photographing birds and leopards, Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod captured a young toque macaque peacefully sleeping in an adult’s arms to highlight the challenges these monkeys face amid habitat loss and farmer conflicts.
His photograph – “A Tranquil Moment”, has secured him the prize in the “Behaviour: Mammals” category at the prestigious event.
Meanwhile, a snapshot of wriggling toad tadpoles has earned Shane Gross the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
The competition marks the sixtieth anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year. For decades this competition has revealed the beauty, wonder and vulnerability of the natural world.
This year’s competition saw record-breaking 59,228 entries from 117 countries and territories. They highlight the whole range of diversity of life on our planet, from falcons hunting butterflies and glittering seaweed to dolphins swimming through submerged forests.
The exhibition featuring the 100 awarded images will open on Friday 11 October 2024 at the Natural History Museum, London
Scroll on to see all of the winning photographs.
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas wins the junior grand prize, in addition to the 15-17-year-olds category
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, 17, from Germany, won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year title. His photo “Life Under Dead Wood” featured fruiting slime mould alongside a tiny, energetic springtail.
Working quickly was essential, as these tiny critters can leap several times their body length in the blink of an eye.
“I think a lot of people don’t know that these things even exist,” Alexis said. “If people learn more through my images, I feel like that’s one of the biggest goals for me, to just show this tiny world that a lot of people don’t really get to see, in a different light.”
Using a technique known as focus-stacking, he combined 36 images into one stunning photograph.
These miniature springtails, under two millimetres long, are found alongside slime moulds worldwide, munching on microorganisms and playing a key role in soil health.
Tiger in Town by Robin Darius Conz, Germany
Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas wins the junior grand prize, in addition to the 15-17-year-olds category
Dusting for New Evidence by Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK
Britta Jaschinski wins the Photojournalism category