An Italian photographer’s moving image of a mother elephant cradling her deceased calf has been honored with the top prize at this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Federico Veronesi captured the photo named “The Aftermath” while observing elephants in Namibia’s Huab River Valley. Upon noticing peculiar marks in the sand, he encountered a female elephant with her calf’s limb caught between her tusk and trunk.
The jury chair for the 2026 contest, Kathy Moran, praised the photo for its emotional impact and intellectual significance, describing it as a testament to animals’ cognitive abilities. In addition to clinching the overall award, the image triumphed in the Behavior: Mammals category.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest is organized by the Natural History Museum in London, aiming to spotlight nature’s narratives and raise awareness about pressing environmental issues. This year’s edition attracted entries from 121 countries and territories, totaling 65,403 submissions.
The competition recognizes outstanding work from both adult and young photographers under 18. The Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year accolade was bestowed upon Oscar Whitfield, a British photographer with roots in Zimbabwe. His winning photograph depicts a dung beetle rolling a ball of dung, showcasing intricate details of nature’s processes.
While no Canadians secured category wins this year, Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, a Canadian citizen residing in Germany, received the Rising Star Award. His captivating image “Afternoon Snack” captures a robber fly preying on a flesh fly, illustrating a moment of nature’s raw interactions.
The exhibition, featuring a curated selection of 100 photos, includes commendable entries from Canadian photographers, notably Shane Gross, winner of the 2024 competition. Canadian audiences can view the exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto starting November 7, 2026, and at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria from February 12 to April 18, 2027.
The showcase will debut at the Natural History Museum in London this week, highlighting various category winners such as Amelie Davis from the U.K., Anton Sorokin from the U.S., Agorastos Papatsanis from Greece, and James Lewin from Kenya. Each photograph encapsulates a unique aspect of the natural world, celebrating the diversity and beauty of wildlife.