Each year, The Big Picture, a photography competition hosted by the California Academy of Sciences, showcases the work of the world's best nature photographers. The winners and finalists of the next, 10th competition were recently selected. Let's see!
"What they lack in size, they make up for in boldness! Buffy hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) are known for their merciless attacks on both flowers and their fellows."
"The majestic European moose (Alces alces) enjoys the pond where it spends much of its time during the summer months. The moose population in the area has increased dramatically over the past few years due to the decline in the number of gray wolves, their only predator."
"A snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and a Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul) were out hunting, but one fell prey to the other. It's surprising to see them together, especially in daylight, since they are usually not active during the daytime. Unfortunately for this female Pallas's cat , she chose the wrong time to hunt pikas for her cubs, and they became orphans."
"This photograph is a perfect demonstration of evolution and ecology: carousel feeding of Norwegian killer whales. Carousel feeding is a hunting tactic in which a school of marine mammals works together to gather prey into a tight ball (in this case, like a doughnut)."
"A sanctuary staff member is caring for two rescued chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) like they were her own children. At the Lwiro Primate Sanctuary, more than 100 chimpanzees have been given a second chance at life."
"Raccoons' eyes perk up as a car passes them in Golden Gate Park, where at least twenty of these animals can be seen at night. This is an unusually high number for the city. No doubt this is the result of too much unguarded trash in urban areas."
"Humpback snapper (Lutjanus gibbus) swim serenely in the largest atoll in the Tuamotu Islands. In one frame, multiple layers of a healthy, thriving ecosystem are presented - above and below the surface."
"Amazing image of four green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) swimming through the waters of Maui. Although they are often seen in Hawaiian waters, where they thrive thanks to a strict protection program, it is extremely rare to see more than two together. They are mostly solitary. Adults They only form pairs for reproduction for a short time."
"Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are one of the most photogenic birds on the planet. They are also very sociable and mate for life, and although their main mating ritual is a behavior called 'billing', where they rub their beaks against each other, puffins also give gifts to their mates, such as choice feathers."
"A baby humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) rolls playfully over its back while its mother sleeps further out of frame. It's an extremely rare sight - and an even more remarkable photograph."
"The webbed octopus (Tremoctopus violaceus), so named because of its large transparent membrane, is a very curious cephalopod. It exhibits some of the most extreme forms of sexual size dimorphism in nature, with females like the one pictured here reaching almost 2 meters in length, while the males do not have a “cloak” and are some measly centimeters in length.”
"The seemingly shy hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) sit below the surface of the water, keeping their eyes on the camera. After carefully studying this particular family, including filming their underwater behavior with a drone, the photographer eventually chose the right moment to jump in and take this photo. Why so much preparation? These huge creatures kill more people a year than sharks, making their underwater images as fascinating as they are dangerous."
"An arctic butterfly settles on a leaf at night, theoretically looking for a mate. Due to the cold temperatures and surrounded by the ethereal tendrils of the northern lights, it moved very slowly, allowing the photographer to capture it. If only we could all afford a view like this for a first date!"
"With fewer than 5,000 of them left in the world, finding any Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is no easy task, let alone seeing adult males wrestling. The photographer witnessed juveniles banging their heads as practice."
"Xiamen City is home to thousands of herons, earning it the nickname 'Heron Island'. At first glance, this is a simple image of a hunting heron. But there is a twist: its prey is in pursuit of its own food!"
"A veterinary student cradles and strokes a recently rescued four-month-old common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) named Maud. Baby wombats, with their very sensitive noses, especially appreciate this close contact."
"In a very human-like display of behavior, a proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) hugs its mate after stopping it from falling out of a tree. Endemic to the jungles of Borneo, these highly social animals are facing extinction."
"This year's Art of Nature winner serves as a photographic Rorschach test! What do you think these lines are? We won't keep you in suspense: they are the underside of a mushroom, probably a mushroom of the Lactarius family."
