Another Great Year For Wildlife Photographer Of The Year

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 125 months ago

Last Updated 24 October 2014

Another Great Year For Wildlife Photographer Of The Year ★★★★★ 5
While studying hummingbird behaviour I noticed that a Sword-billed humminbird (Ensifera ensifera) was chased away aggressively by a Collared Inca (Coeligena torquata) every time his route to its favourite Red Angel Trumpet flowers crossed the territory of the Collared Inca. This happened various times until apparently the sword-billed hummingbird decided to his sword for attack and not for feeding.
The bill of a sword billed hummingbird is designed to get to the nectar deep inside tube-shaped flowers. But in this instance it has an alternative use for fending off a territorial inca collared hummingbird.
The eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcano complex sends a plume of rocks, ash and dust into the atmosphere triggering a phenomenon called volcanic lightning. The photographer has understandably titled this photograph 'Apocalypse'.
The eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcano complex sends a plume of rocks, ash and dust into the atmosphere triggering a phenomenon called volcanic lightning. The photographer has understandably titled this photograph 'Apocalypse'.
During the rains this unnamed kopje (rock outcropping) has a waterhole that brings prey for the Vumbi pride. On this afternoon they rested closely together after all five females attacked Hildur, the second male in the resident coalition. Why? Maybe simply because there was not enough food to share.
This pride of lionesses has been photographed with an infra red camera, which cuts through the haze and lends the a scene an almost biblical feel. This image is the overall winner of the wildlife photographer of the year competition.
This yellow scorpion has raised its tail into a defensive position in reaction to the photographer. The image was the winner of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
This yellow scorpion has raised its tail into a defensive position in reaction to the photographer. The image was the winner of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
A green iguana, captured sunbathing on a rock before heading back to the beach.
A green iguana, captured sunbathing on a rock before heading back to the beach.
Common Frogs (Rana temporaria) breeding in a waterpuddle surrounded with spawn, Byske, Vasterbotten, Sweden
To ensure he is the one to fertilise her eggs, this male common frog will grasp on to the female, often for days.
The photographer dug a pit in the snow and used cheese and sausages to encourage this Siberian jay to swoop down.
The photographer dug a pit in the snow and used cheese and sausages to encourage this Siberian jay to swoop down.
This juvenile sharpear enope squid is only an inch long and was captured 20 metres below the surface off the coast of Tahiti.
This juvenile sharpear enope squid is only an inch long and was captured 20 metres below the surface off the coast of Tahiti.
This three month old fennec fox is up for sale, after having been dug up from its den in the Sahara. Killing or catching fennec foxes is illegal in Tunisia but still widespread.
This three month old fennec fox is up for sale, after having been dug up from its den in the Sahara. Killing or catching fennec foxes is illegal in Tunisia but still widespread.
while searching for baitballs in pacific Baja California, Mexico, we stumbled upon a local fisherman´s longline. on one of the hooks this majestic young white shark was hanging motionless, with its left jaw completely out of place surely due to the force he used to battle the hook before drowning to death. Magdalena Bay Baja California Sur Mexico Nikon D300 sigma 15mm fisheye speed: 1/125s aperture: f/8 ISO: 200 nauticam underwater housing double inon strobes
The great white shark pictured was caught on a fishing hook and bears the scars of struggling to escape, before it eventually suffocated.

Londonist Rating: ★★★★★

One surefire hit on the annual exhibition calendar is Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum. We've been going for the last five years and have never been disappointed. The competition itself is 50 years old. On display for the next 10 months are the latest winners and finalists.

This year's selection is as diverse as ever. One of our favourites is the timelapse of a forest being razed to the ground, before new growth springs forth. Another striking photo shows vultures gathered around a green turtle carcass. London even gets a nod, as ring necked parakeets fly over a cemetery at night.

Other arresting images include a confused looking silverback gorilla, as it steps out of the forest onto adjacent farmland, and a scary huntsman spider whose black and white body contrasts with the red-brown sand underfoot. One of our overall favourite images was from last year's winner Greg du Toit. He captures a wildebeest silhouetted by the fire raging just behind. It feels like something out of a horror movie.

As with previous years, the threat humanity poses to wildlife is an important part of this exhibition. One arresting image is of 30,000 shark fins drying on a roof. Another project depicts both sides of a conflict — one photograph shows a hanging skinned lion, while the adjacent image is of a man who lost both arms in a lion attack.

This year's exhibition is filled with beautiful, mesmerising and powerful photographs demonstrating the wonder and fragility of the natural world.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014 is on at Natural History Museum until 30 August 2015. Tickets are £12.60 for adults, concessions available. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is co-owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide.

For more great art in London, see our October listings.

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