South African wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever has been crowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 for his extraordinary image of a brown hyena standing amid the ruins of an abandoned diamond mining settlement in Namibia. The winning photograph, taken in the ghost town of Kolmanskop, represents the culmination of a ten-year quest to capture one of Africa's most elusive creatures.
Van den Heever first discovered fresh hyena tracks in the deserted mining town and strategically placed camera traps throughout the area. The brown hyena, recognized as the rarest of all hyena species, presented unique challenges for the photographer due to its primarily nocturnal behavior and solitary lifestyle. "I knew they were there, but actually photographing one was just never going to happen," van den Heever admitted, reflecting on years of finding only traces of the elusive animal.
The prestigious award was presented at London's Natural History Museum, with the annual exhibition opening to the public on October 17. The competition showcased exceptional wildlife photography across multiple categories, highlighting both the beauty of nature and pressing conservation issues facing wildlife worldwide.
Young photographers also claimed significant recognition in this year's competition. Andrea Dominizi from Italy won the Junior Grand Prize and the 15- to 17-year-old category with "After the Destruction," a powerful image showing a beetle resting on a cut log beside abandoned machinery in the Lepini Mountains. The photograph tells the story of habitat loss, as Dominizi explained: "This photo shows the story and challenge faced by many animal species: habitat loss. In this case, it's a beetle that loses the tree and the wood it needs to lay its eggs."
The category winners demonstrated remarkable diversity in subject matter and technique. Shane Gross from Canada, last year's overall winner, captured peppered moray eels scavenging for carrion at low tide on D'Arros Island in the Seychelles. His patience paid off after hours of enduring sun, heat, and flies while waiting where dead fish had washed up on the shore.
Environmental storytelling featured prominently throughout the competition. Sebastian Frölich from Germany highlighted Austria's vanishing wetlands in "Vanishing Pond," photographed in the Platzertal moorlands. His work brings attention to the critical role these fragile ecosystems play as carbon sinks and wildlife habitats, particularly significant given that Austria has lost 90% of its peat bogs.
Underwater photography revealed both beauty and environmental concerns. Ralph Pace from the United States battled strong currents in Monterey Bay, California, to capture a swell shark egg case with a glowing embryo visible inside, complete with gill slits and yolk sac. The image carries particular significance as swell sharks depend on kelp forests for egg-laying, yet researchers believe Monterey Bay's kelp has declined by more than 95% over the past 34 years.
The photojournalism categories addressed critical conservation efforts. Jon A. Juárez from Spain documented the BioRescue Project in Kenya, capturing a breakthrough moment in rhino conservation - the first successful transfer of a rhino embryo to a surrogate mother. Although the southern white rhino fetus pictured did not survive due to infection, the milestone proved that IVF technology could work for rhinos, bringing scientists closer to potentially saving the critically endangered northern white rhino.
Animal behavior photography showcased remarkable moments across species. Dennis Stogsdill from the United States captured the rare sight of a caracal hunting among flamingos at Ndutu Lake in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. While caracals are known for their acrobatic leaps to catch birds, sightings of them hunting flamingos remain extremely uncommon.
The competition also celebrated technical innovation and artistic vision. Chien Lee from Malaysia used UV lighting and long exposure techniques to illustrate how carnivorous pitcher plants reflect UV light to lure prey, while Simone Baumeister from Germany created a kaleidoscopic effect by reversing lens elements to frame an orb-weaver spider against city traffic lights.
Portfolio awards recognized sustained excellence in wildlife photography. Alexey Kharitonov, representing Israel and Russia, won the Portfolio Award for "Visions of the North," using drone photography to capture the rapid transition from summer to winter across taiga forests and Arctic tundra, including striking images of recently frozen lakes with snow-dusted dark circles etched with crack-like veins.
The 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition continues to serve as both a celebration of natural beauty and a platform for raising awareness about conservation challenges. From habitat loss and climate change to species extinction and human-wildlife conflict, this year's winning images tell compelling stories that extend far beyond their aesthetic appeal, reminding viewers of the urgent need to protect our planet's remarkable biodiversity.
