'Playful Lynx' picture by Austrian photographer wins global wildlife photography contest

Austrian photographer Josef Stefan has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen Peoplersquos Choice Award 2026 His striking image titled Flying Rodent captured a playful lynx in Spain and secured the top spot after a record 85917 public votes worldwide an official statement saidThe award is organised by the Natural History Museum in London and supported by global investment firm NuveenSpeaking about his win Stefan described the image as the fulfilment of a longheld dream to photograph the Iberian lynx He highlighted the species as a symbol of hope noting its recovery from near extinction due to sustained conservation effortsAlso highly commended are Will Nichollsrsquo image of a silhouetted pair of young bear cubs rearing up and playfighting in the middle of a quiet road in Jasper National Park Canada and Kohei Nagirarsquos photograph of a sika deer carrying the interlocked severed head of a rival male that had died after their battleRecord participation and competitionThis yearrsquos competition saw strong global participation with over 60000 entries submitted from 113 countries and territories From these a shortlist of 24 images was selected alongside 100 winners announced earlier in October 2025An international panel of experts in photography conservation and science helped choose the finalistsThe winning pictureStefanrsquos photograph was taken in Ciudad Real where he spent two weeks observing wildlife The image shows a young Iberian lynx tossing a rodent into the airmdasha natural hunting behaviourmdashbefore eventually eating itThe Iberian lynx once critically endangered has seen a recovery in recent years making the image a symbol of successful conservation effortsFour other photographs highly praised by votersThe four lsquohighly commendedrsquo images that also impressed wildlife lovers across the globe include a group of flamingos standing out against a stark industrial backdrop of power lines in in Walvis Bay Namibia by Alexandre Brisson and a mother polar bear and her three cubs pausing peacefully in the summer heat on the Hudson Bay coast Canada by Christopher PaetkauFamily RestA mother polar bear and her three cubs pause peacefully in the summer heat Pic titled Family Rest by Christopher Paetkau CanadaDancing in the headlightsA silhouetted pair of young bear cubs rear up and playfight in the middle of a quiet road Bears are a fairly frequent sight in Jasper National Park Canada but the cubs are rarer as mothers tend to keep them away from any threats Pic titled Dancing in the Headlights by Will Nicholls UKBeauty against the beastA Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Nuveen Peoplersquos Choice Award 2026 was a group of flamingos stands out against a stark industrial backdrop of power lines at the bird sanctuary in Walvis Bay Namibia The image shows how even spaces meant to protect wildlife carry the signs of human expansion Pic titled Beauty Against the Beast by Alexandre Brisson SwitzerlandNeverending StruggleA sika deer carries the interlocked severed head of a rival male that had died after their battle In autumn male sika deer fight over females by clashing their antlers This deer won the fight but their antlers became tightly locked and wouldnrsquot come apart Pic titledNeverending Struggle by Kohei Nagira JapanAbout the competitionNow in its 61st year Wildlife Photographer of the Year is a globally recognised competition celebrating the best in nature photography It attracts entries from photographers of all ages and backgrounds and tours internationally reaching millions each yearExhibition detailsThe winning photograph and the highly commended images will be displayed at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum until 12 July 2026 The image will also be featured alongside other winners in the main gallery