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.
Shane Gross wins the grand prize - and the ‘Wetlands: The Bigger Picture’ category
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.
Category winners
Dusting for New Evidence by Britta Jaschinski, Germany/UK
Britta Jaschinski wins the Photojournalism category
Under the Waterline by Matthew Smith, UK/Australia
Matthew Smith claims the title in the Underwater category
Dolphins of the Forest by Thomas Peschak, Germany/South Africa
Thomas Peschak takes home the award in the Photojournalist Story category
Tiger in Town by Robin Darius Conz, Germany
Robin Darius Conz has won the Urban Wildlife category
The Demolition Squad by Ingo Arndt, Germany
Ingo Arndt is the winner of the Behaviour: Invertebrates category
Free as a Bird by Alberto Román Gómez, Spain
Alberto Román Gómez claims the title in the 10 Years and Under category
Frontier of the Lynx by Igor Metelskiy, Russia
Igor Metelskiy has been awarded first place in the Animals in their Environment category
Old Man of the Glen by Fortunato Gatto, Italy
Fortunato Gatto wins the Plants and Fungi category
Practice Makes Perfect by Jack Zhi, USA
Jack Zhi is awarded first place in the Behaviour: Birds category
The Artful Crow by Jiří Hřebíček, Czech Republic
Jiří Hřebíček won the Natural Artistry category
On Watch by John E Marriott, Canada
John E Marriott takes home the award in the Animal Portraits category
A Diet of Deadly Plastic by Justin Gilligan, Australia
Justin Gilligan wins the Oceans: The Bigger Picture category
An Evening Meal by Parham Pourahmad, USA
Parham Pourahmad Winner wins the 11-14 Years category
Wetland Wrestle by Karine Aigner, USA
Karine Aigner won the Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles category
The Serengeti of the Sea by Sage Ono, USA
Sage Ono's image won the Rising Star Award.
Source: BBC
--Agencies
