“The Fur Flew.” Animal Behaviour | Runner-up.
It was an exciting start to my early morning when I was able to witness the agility and effort of a pair of hares boxing. They were so close that I could hear the puffs and pants as they performed in front of me. As the activity became more intense, fur was lost, and I loved how it stayed on top of the hare’s head throughout this frenetic time. So intent were they to win the battle of wills they ignored my presence lying on the ground in plain sight.
Credit: Sarah Darnell / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026
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A pair of hares spar. A sparrow hawk pins down a starling. Nature can be fierce. It can also be serene and beautiful. The British Wildlife Photography Awards celebrate the diverse natural beauty of Britain.
“This year’s winners celebrate the wonder, diversity and character of British wildlife in truly exceptional ways,” says Will Nicholls, Director of BWPA. “From familiar species to rarely seen moments, the portfolio showcases the skill and passion of the photographers behind the lens. Together, they offer a joyful celebration of Britain’s natural world, while also reminding us why these places and species are so deserving of our care and protection.”
Animal Behaviour | Winner
Sparrowhawk and juvenile starling (Accipiter nisus and Sturnus vulgaris)
Royston, Hertfordshire, England
Because the sparrowhawk had never gone to ground before on previous visits to the garden and not knowing how long it would stay, I just wanted to get an image to record the event before then concentrating on my settings. The story I think the image portrays, is evident in the eye contact between the two subjects and the vice-like grip they have on each other, however, the eye contact and grip of the juvenile starling is out of pure fear whilst that of its nemesis is one of dominance and relief in finally catching a much needed meal.
Credit: Mark Parker / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026 MARK PARKER
Top honors went to photographer Paul Hobson for his captivating image of a toad swimming through a pond (seen below). Capturing stunning wildlife photography takes patience—Hobson crafted a home-built glass box to house his camera underwater and then, he waited. “I had to wait quite a long time until a toad swam across the surface–most of them would usually swim below it and rest on the glass,” Hobson says.
British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 and Black & White Winner
Toad (Bufo bufo)
Sheffield, England
I am lucky to have a pond close to my house that has relatively clear water, especially in late winter and early spring before the algae starts to grow. Toads use this pond to breed in and I decided I wanted to try to capture an image looking up from the bottom of the pond. To try to do this I built a glass box to house the camera and keep it dry. I had to add ballast to make sure it would sink and used old tripod legs glued to its sides to keep the box level. I worked out the depth the box would be and set the focus so that it would capture a toad, if one swam across the surface. I triggered the camera using an adapted long cable release. I had to wait quite a long time until a toad swam across the surface – most of them would usually swim below it and rest on the glass.
Credit: Paul Hobson / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026 Paul Hobson
More than 12,000 photographs competed across 11 different categories, including Animal Behaviour, Animal Portraits, Botanical Britain, Black & White, Coast & Marine, Habitat, Hidden Britain, Urban Wildlife, and Wild Woods. (Click images to view in full screen.)
Animal Portraits | Winner
Pine marten (Martes martes)
Ardnamurchan, Scotland
I’ve been visiting Ardnamurchan in Scotland for 10 years now and it keeps me coming back. I visit every year in the hope of seeing pine martens. In the summer of 2024 I had one of my best visits up north with plenty of sightings, tempted by a small amount of peanuts I left out each evening. Every so often this young male would stand up to get a better view above the heather in front of him.
Credit: Alastair Marsh / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026 Alastair Marsh
Botanical Britain | Winner
Slime mould (Lamproderma scintillans)
South Buckinghamshire, England
These 1mm-tall Lamproderma scintillans were found on a tiny fragment of wood, on a very wet woodchip pile. When the water droplet evaporated on the two fruiting bodies on the right, they dried out and reverted to their original blue colour. It is thought that the iridescent surface of these fruiting bodies may act as a water repellent in order to protect the spores within the sporocarp. A total of 87 shots were focus bracketed and then focus stacked to create the final image.
Credit: Barry Webb / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026 Barry Webb
Coast & Marine | Winner
Spiny squat lobster (Galathea strigosa)
Inveraray, Loch Fyne, Scotland
A spiny squat lobster captured fluorescing during a night dive in Loch Fyne, in November 2024. Image taken using two Sea&Sea YS01-Solis strobes with Nightsea excitation filters. A FireDiveGear gel barrier filter was used behind the 8mm fisheye lens.
Credit: James Lynott / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026
Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 and 15-17 Years Winner
Mute swan (Cygnus olor)
Hornchurch, England
This was such an adorable moment to witness. A whole family of mute swans swam up to me as I was quietly sitting on the bank of a beautiful lake. They all lay down for a rest right beside me. The five newly hatched cygnets curled up together in a fluffy grey bundle and I captured this photo as one lay its little head on the back of its sibling. Nature can often be so cruel, but tender moments like this warm my heart!
Credit: Ben Lucas / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026
Habitat | Winner
Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)
Derbyshire Dales, England
Dippers are creatures of habit, and after spending numerous days observing these entertaining birds I was able to discover many of their favoured rocks. I wanted to capture something different, encapsulating the stunning woodland and rushing white water that these birds are so at home in. For this photo I utilised a wide-angle lens, and so as to limit disturbance, I waded into the water, framed up my shot using a tripod, manually focussed on the rock and used a remote shutter whilst sat on the riverbank. To capture the painterly effect in the water, I used a shutter speed of 1/15s.
Credit: Marc Humphrey / BRITISH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2026
Hidden Britain | Winner
Common frog (Rana temporaria)
Messingh