The European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition has just revealed its incredible winners, and it has brought together stunning wildlife photographs from across Europe and beyond.
Run by the German Society for Nature Photographers (GDT), this contest brings together talented photographers from around the globe, all aiming to capture wildlife’s raw beauty, challenges, and untold stories.
This year, 1,000 amateur and professional photographers from 38 countries participated, and thousands of powerful images were submitted.
After a long selection process, the competition awarded photographers for their creativity, technical skills, and, importantly, their messages on environmental conservation.
Here are the top winners and some of the most jaw-dropping, thought-provoking shots that not only highlight incredible creatures but also shed light on urgent environmental issues.
Key Takeaways
- The top prize was Jaime Rojo from Spain, who captured an amazing photo of monarch butterflies gathering on fir trees at El Rosario Sanctuary in Mexico. The picture perfectly shows how delicate the butterflies’ home is.
- Many of the contest photos focused on how wildlife depends on its environment and the dangers it faces, such as deforestation, illegal logging, and climate change.
- The competition featured all kinds of subjects, from underwater animals to birds flying and from stunning landscapes to close-up shots of animals, showing the incredible variety of nature.
1. “In the Forest of the Monarchs” – Jaime Rojo (Spain)
Overall Winner of the Year
Jaime Rojo, a Spanish photographer, is the overall winner of the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 award.
His winning image, In the Forest of the Monarchs, beautifully captures the miraculous sight of millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) gathered in the El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacán, Mexico.
The butterflies are seen blanketing the Oyamel fir trees as they huddle together for warmth during the cold winter months.
Every autumn, these butterflies travel over 4,000 kilometers from North America to spend the winter in this sanctuary.
They rely on the Oyamel fir forests for a critical microclimate that protects them from harsh temperatures.
Unfortunately, this delicate ecosystem is threatened by illegal logging, agriculture, and climate change.
Jaime Rojo took this photograph just before sunset, and that allowed the warm light to fill the air as the butterflies formed a stunning, almost magical spectacle.
His image speaks to the delicate balance of nature and the urgent need to protect these fragile ecosystems.
2. “Approach” – Luca Melcarne (France)
Winner, Birds Category
In the Birds category, Luca Melcarne from France won with his intimate photograph titled Approach.
Luca spent days observing a pair of black woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius) nesting in a forest.
To avoid disturbing the birds, he camouflaged himself behind a fir tree, patiently waiting for the perfect shot.
In this image, the male woodpecker flies toward the nest with food for its hungry young.
The soft, dappled light filtering through the trees creates a peaceful, almost serene atmosphere.
This photo beautifully captures these magnificent birds’ nurturing behavior and nature’s quiet rhythms.
3. “Angry Bird” – Kjell Vikestad (Norway)
Runner-up, Birds Category
Norwegian photographer Kjell Vikestad earned a runner-up spot in the Birds category with his humorous shot, Angry Bird.
Taken at a ferry terminal in Hella, Norway, the image shows a great tit (Parus major) with a very determined expression as it lands on a car in search of food.
Since these birds have become used to being fed by waiting motorists, they’re bold enough to hop onto cars in search of crumbs.
Kjell’s photograph captures the bird’s wet feathers and hungry gaze as it looks expectantly at the photographer.
The image gives a fun yet thoughtful glimpse into how wildlife has adapted to human environments.
4. “Affection” – Vanessa Beadling (Singapore)
Highly Commended, Mammals Category
A Singaporean photographer, Vanessa Beadling, received a Highly Commended mention in the Mammals category for her emotional photograph Affection.
This stunning image shows a hyena cub (Crocuta crocuta) snuggling up to its mother in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.
Hyenas are often portrayed as ruthless scavengers, but Vanessa’s photograph reveals these misunderstood animals’ softer, more emotional side.
The bond between the mother and the cub is heartwarming, reminding us that even the toughest creatures have moments of tenderness.
5. “On the Prowl” – Andrew Skinne (UK)
Highly Commended, Mammals Category
In the Mammals category, Andrew Skinne from the UK earned a Highly Commended for his image On the Prowl, which shows two jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Pantanal of Brazil.
The young jaguars, a brother pair, were seen moving through dense reeds in search of prey.
Andrew’s careful patience paid off when he captured one of the jaguars stepping into a shaft of sunlight.
Amazingly, the golden light of the scene makes it look almost like a painting.
The image conveys the power and beauty of the jaguar, one of the world’s most iconic big cats.
The Pantanal is one of the largest wetlands in the world, home to a wide variety of wildlife, and Andrew’s photograph shows the wild and untamed nature of this amazing landscape.
6. “Christo Was Here” – Theo Bosboom (The Netherlands)
Winner, Other Animals Category
Dutch photographer Theo Bosboom won the Other Animals category with his striking photograph Christo Was Here.
The image features willow ermine moth caterpillars (Yponomeuta rorrella) covering trees and vegetation in Boven-Leeuwen, Netherlands.
It’s incredible how the caterpillars create a mesmerizing pattern of white silk that wraps around the plants, similar to an art installation by the famous artist Christo.
The eerie yet beautiful scene sees the massive swarming behavior of the caterpillars, which often cover everything in their path before they transform into moths.
The sheer scale of their presence, combined with the image’s surreal quality, easily makes it an unforgettable snapshot of nature’s temporary beauty.
7. “Curtain” – Svetlana Ivanenko (Russia)
Winner, Plants and Fungi Category
Svetlana Ivanenko, from Russia, took the top prize in the Plants and Fungi category with her stunning close-up of a parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera).
In her photograph Curtain, Svetlana focused on the intricate details of the mushroom’s cap, which shows the delicate gills that glow under the light.
The use of a flashlight to illuminate the mushroom adds a dramatic flair to the point the image feels like a scene from a magical world.
This photograph captures the delicate charm of fungi—often overlooked but essential to the ecosystem as they break down organic matter and support biodiversity.
8. “Blaze of Colours” – checkmydream
Winner, Landscape Category
In the Landscape category, the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 winner’s entry, Blaze of Colours, depicts the Sugar Dunes of Oman at sunrise.
The image showcases the stunning array of colors created by the early morning light as it touches the white dunes.
The sharp, sweeping lines of the dunes contrast beautifully with the soft, golden hues of the sky, and it’s a feast for the eyes, to say the least.
The sweeping desert landscapes of Oman are a reminder of nature’s vastness and beauty, with no human intervention to disrupt the perfection of this landscape.
9. “Water and Light” – Lukas Schäfer (Germany)
Highly Commended, Nature’s Studio
In the Nature’s Studio category, Lukas Schäfer from Germany was Highly Commended for his stunning photo “Water and Light.”
Captured in the Black Forest, Germany, the photograph shows a stream with water flowing over smooth stones, surrounded by mist rising from the moving water.
The mist is caught in the soft sunlight and creates a dreamy, almost ethereal effect.
Lukas used a slow shutter speed to capture the motion of the water, which adds a sense of flow and life to the image.
The light filtering through the mist brings out the delicate beauty of the forest; it makes you feel as though you’re standing in the peaceful, misty woods.
10. “Night Crawler” – Angel Fitor (Spain)
Winner, Underwater Category
Spanish photographer Angel Fitor took the Underwater Category prize with his stunning photograph titled Night Crawler.
The image shows a common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) on the hunt, crawling along the ocean floor of the Mediterranean Sea at night.
The dark water around the octopus highlights its bright colors and textured skin, so it’s a striking contrast to the ocean’s depths.
Angel’s patience in capturing this elusive creature at night spotlights underwater life’s beauty and mystery.
11. “Invisible Killers” – Héctor Cordero (Spain)
Winner, Fritz Pölking Junior Prize, Nature’s Studio Category
Spanish photographer Héctor Cordero received a Fritz Pölking Prize award in the Nature’s Studio category for his powerful photograph Invisible Killers.
The image shows a hunting spider camouflaged against the bark of a tree, ready to ambush its prey.
Héctor’s close-up shot, combined with the dramatic lighting, draws attention to the spider’s delicate features and the predatory skills of these often-overlooked creatures.
The stark contrast between the spider and its environment showcases the precision with which nature operates, as even the smallest creatures can be deadly predators.
12. “Urban Jungle” – Gianluca Damiani (Italy)
Winner, Fritz Pölking Junior Prize, Urban Wildlife Category
In the Urban Wildlife category, Italian photographer Gianluca Damiani took home the top prize with Urban Jungle.
The photo captures a fox (Vulpes vulpes) navigating through a street at night, with the city’s lights creating a dramatic backdrop.
The urban environment, often thought of as hostile to wildlife, is here transformed into a vibrant jungle, with the fox seeming perfectly at home amidst the concrete and glass.
In Gianluca’s image, we see how wildlife adapts to and even thrives in human-made spaces, blurring the lines between the natural world and urban life.
13. “New World” – Grzegorz DÅ‚ugosz (Poland)
Winner, Nature’s Portraits Category
Polish photographer Grzegorz Długosz won the Nature’s Portraits category with New World, a stunning image of a bison (Bison bonasus) emerging from a misty forest in Białowieża Forest, Poland.
The forest appears to be alive, with the towering trees creating a majestic backdrop for the bison.
The soft, ethereal mist adds an almost mystical quality to the scene and really throws you back.
Białowieża is one of the last and largest remaining parts of the primeval forest that once spread across Europe, so you can the deep connection between wildlife and ancient forests.
14. “Arctic Tern” – Arnfinn Johansen (Norway)
Highly Commended, Birds in Flight Category
Norwegian photographer Arnfinn Johansen won the Birds in Flight category with his action-packed shot of an arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) in full flight over the waters of the Barents Sea.
The bird is captured mid-air with its wings spread wide, which creates a striking contrast against the smooth surface of the water below.
The blue tones of the sea and sky blend harmoniously with the tern’s white feathers.
Arctic terns are known for their incredible migratory journeys, often traveling thousands of kilometers each year, and Arnfinn’s image perfectly captures their elegance and resilience.
15. “The Night of the Lynx” – Felix Heintzenberg (Germany)
Highly Commended, Mammals
In The Night of the Lynx, Felix Heintzenberg captures a striking image of a lynx (Lynx lynx) in southern Sweden.
The lynx is shown backlit at night, perched on a fallen tree trunk, with the soft glow of rain adding an ethereal quality to the scene.
Felix’s innovative approach to photographing the lynx involved using a specially designed flash to create a “golden edge” around the animal’s silhouette.
The rain, which fell gently that night, added a magical touch, further emphasizing this elusive creature’s wild beauty.
Celebrating Nature’s Wonders Through Photography
The European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition amazed us again.
There’s something ever so captivating about photographers we’ve covered today.
Their stunning collection of images celebrates the beauty and complexity of the natural world.
And each photograph tells a story—whether it’s about the quiet elegance of birds in flight, the intricate patterns of moths, or the strong bonds between animal families.
The images also bring attention to the challenges wildlife faces, such as deforestation, climate change, and the ever-growing presence of humans in natural habitats.
This year’s winners and highly commended photographers have captured the essence of nature’s beauty, inspiring us all to appreciate and protect the world.
