Two adult Nubian ibex males are engaged in a fierce battle for the right to mate at Zin Desert, Israel.
2. “Shell I Eat You?” by Sankhesh Dedhia. Winner, Animal Behavior
The famous Arrowhead of Ranthambhore National Park in India fishes out an Indian Softshell Turtle from the lake in this breathtaking image. A tiger's diet in the wild can be highly varied because the felid can feast on almost anything on its territory, including turtles.
3. “Lights Will Guide You Home” by Merche Llobera. Special Mention, Animal Behavior
A pod of Spinner Dolphins dives back into the Pacific Ocean's gorgeously lighted waters. One of the dolphins can be seen looking into the camera lens, which adds a sense of curiosity and connection to the scene.
4. A Love Like No Other” by Afroj Sheikh. Winner, Animal Behavior
The defenseless mother and infant langur had little chance of survival when they were caught in the sight of a ravenous leopard. The hunt and chase had brought the predator and victim up a tree before the mother succumbed to the enormous cat's smothering grip. However, by accepting death, the mother was able to save her offspring.
5. “A Sappy Alliance” by Avinash PC. Winner, Animal Behavior
There are many symbiotic interactions in nature. None, however, are as interesting as the mutualistic relationship between ants and aphids. Aphids are small sap-sucking insects that are harmful to plants. They secrete a sugary liquid known as honeydew, which is a preferred diet of ants. So much so that the ants defend these insects from other predators and even escort them to the plant's richest areas to ensure a continual supply of tasty honeydew!
6. “Inspector Booby” by Suliman Alatiqi. Winner, Animal Portraits
Brown Boobys (large seabirds of the booby family Sulidae) spend most of their lives in the open ocean. Their awkward demeanor on land gained them their name, bobo, which means dumb or daft in Spanish. They are outstanding sea foragers, diving to eat anything from anchovies and sardines to squid and shrimp. The photographer observed this specimen dipping its head underwater at regular intervals and positioned himself to obtain a close-up shot of the bird from the perspective of its doomed victim.
7. “The Bonobo and His Pet” by Christian Ziegler. Winner, Animal Portraits
The Bonobo, the last great ape, is one of our closest living cousins. Here, a wild Bonobo has captured a mongoose pup and is treating it as if it were a pet. He later freed the animal unharmed. Behavioral ecologist and evolutionary anthropologist Prof Barbara Fruth has only observed this phenomenon once previously at this location.
8. “Symmetry in Mimicry” by Arkaprava Ghosh. Winner, Creative Nature Photography
They say that mimicry is the highest form of flattery. However, in the animal world, it is one of the most effective defense strategies. Line-forest Skimmers mimic an inflorescence on the perennial Phanera vahlii creeper in this photo. Have you seen how the dragonflies' abdomens have all been raised at the same time?
9. “Slender in the Night” by Arnav Deshpande. Winner, Young Photographer
Harvestmen, like spiders, have eight legs, most of which are long and thin in comparison to their bodies. Despite their somewhat similar appearance, they are not spiders and belong to the order Opiliones. The teenage photographer noticed an Opilione hidden in a nook on a rainy night, raindrops gleaming on its limbs.
10. “The Rarest of Them All” by Sergey Gorshkov. Special Mention, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat
The Amur Leopard, one of the world's rarest cats, is hard to spot in the wild. Poaching for its fur is one of the hazards to the severely endangered felid. While suitable habitats can be found throughout Russia and China, these leopards are threatened by a lack of prey animals.
11. “Giants in Peril” by Lalith Ekanayake. Special Mention, Photographer of the Year – Portfolio
Asian elephants are revered in Sri Lanka, where they are associated with the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. Despite this, they deal with issues such as human-elephant conflict and habitat loss. Despite crop destruction, villagers preserve respect for these gorgeous creatures.
12. “Skimmer Love” by Padmanava Santra. Special Mention, Creative Nature Photography.
What a stunning picture! The atmospheric blue brushstrokes, the warm sunset glow on the orange bills of the Indian Skimmers, and the bokeh on the water body.
13. “Easy Like a Sunday” by Bharath Kumar V. Special Mention, Animal Portraits
A male lion relaxes after a heavy meal, despite the flies buzzing around
14. “Cry Me a River” by Hiren Pagi. Winner, Conservation Focus
Every now and then, news outlets announce that a dead crocodile was discovered in the Vishwamitri River in India's Gujarat. The image depicts the circumstances under which these reptiles cohabit with humans. The river has become a dumping ground for the neighboring businesses, and drainage water is also mixed in at various points. The river's 270 Mugger Crocodiles face many challenges, including habitat loss and water pollution.
15. “Raiders of Hives” by Pranav Mahendru. Winner, Young Photographer
A pair of Oriental Honey Buzzards raids a beehive in Satpura's deep woodlands. These raptors forage for food in beehives and wasp nests, however, contrary to popular belief, they prefer bee and wasp larvae to honey.
16. “Worlds Apart” by Dileep SS. Winner, Wildscape & Animals in Their Habitat
When you think about Dubai, the first thing that springs to mind is the architectural marvels that make the sky appear within reach. The enormous structures are Dubai's characteristic sights, but there is another world that coexists with the glitz, where animals thrive in the desert. The image contrasts these two worlds—tall skyscrapers and vast sands.
17. “Disappearing Guardians” by Srikanth Mannepuri. Winner, Photographer of the Year – Portfolio
Using a drone, the photographer zooms out on coastal Andhra Pradesh's mangrove forests to illustrate the magnitude and scale of the threats this ecosystem faces.
