'The journey to take this image was more than just another photographic adventure, it was the pursuit of a dream that had been with me for years.'
ArticleBody:After almost 90,000 votes, Austrian photographer Josef Stefan's image of a lynx batting a rodent like a toy took the top prize of Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen People’s Choice Award 2026.
“The journey to take this image was more than just another photographic adventure, it was the pursuit of a dream that had been with me for years, encountering the Iberian lynx, one of the rarest and most endangered wild cats in the world,' Stefan said of his win. 'In the early 2000s, this species was on the brink of extinction. Today, there are now over 2,000 thanks to consistent conservation efforts. The Iberian lynx is a living symbol of hope, showing what can happen when we take responsibility, act consciously and focus our attention where it’s most needed. Winning this award and being able to platform this message is the highlight of my 30 years as a nature photographer.” 'Flying Rodent' Josef has wanted to photograph lynxes for a long time. He was delighted when the opportunity arose to spend two weeks observing them from a hide at Torre de Juan Abad, Ciudad Real, Spain. It’s common for young lynxes to play with their prey before killing it. This one repeatedly threw the rodent high in the air and caught it again. To Josef, it looked as if the rodent could fly. The whole game lasted about 20 minutes before the lynx got bored. It then took the rodent behind a bush and ate it.Credit: Josef Stefan / Wildlife Photographer of the Year The competition also honored four runners-up: Alexandre Brisson for an image of a flamboyance of flamingoes in Namibia, Kohei Nagira for an image of a post-brawl deer, Will Nicholls for a photo of sparring bear cubs, and Christopher Paetkau for capturing a calm moment for a polar bear family. The celebrated images will go on display at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London, until the exhibition's close on July 12, 2026. “Beauty Against the Beast”After a 10-hour drive, Alexandre arrived at this bird sanctuary in Walvis Bay, Namibia, just as the sun was setting. The smell from a nearby open-air dump was overwhelming, a sharp contrast to the beauty of the lesser flamingos. He waited for the right moment, hoping to capture them flying between the power lines. When two of them finally took off, their graceful flight stood out against the backdrop. The image shows how even spaces meant to protect wildlife carry the signs of human expansion.Credit: Alexandre Brisson / Wildlife Photographer of the Year “Never-ending Struggle”In autumn, male sika deer fight over females by clashing their antlers. This deer won the fight, but their antlers became tightly locked and wouldn’t come apart. A local fisherman says the deer dragged the whole body for several days before finally tearing off its head. Kohei observed the deer on Notsuke Peninsula in Hokkaido, Japan, from late November 2020 to April 2021. It was living alone, yet it continued to forage for grass and branches and managed to survive the winter. The image shows life and death bound together.Credit: Kohei Nagira / Wildlife Photographer of the Year “Dancing in the Headlights”Bears are a fairly frequent sight in Jasper National Park, Canada. But cubs are rarer, as mothers tend to keep them away from any threats. It’s an enchanting moment, but also a risky one for the playful young cubs silhouetted against the glow of car headlights. Framed by the darkness of the surrounding forest, the scene took on an almost theatrical feel for Will. When the lights aligned, he knew it was the image he was after.Credit: Will Nicholls / Wildlife Photographer of the Year
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