The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest is basically “Planet Earth” meets “Survivor.”
For the past 52 years, the competition has introduced us to some of the most remarkable images of the natural world. This year was no different, attracting nearly 50,000 submissions from professional and amateur photographers from around the world.
On Sept. 12, the contest managed to narrow that astounding number of entries down to a handful of finalists, releasing just some of those finalists’ incredible images to the public. From the intimidating glare of a bald eagle to tender moments between a mama bear and cub, each one of these images is a truly remarkable glimpse into life on Earth.
Check out the images from 13 of the finalists below.
1. “Swim gym” by Laurent Ballesta
2. “Arctic treasure” by Sergey Gorshkov
3. “The power of the matriarch” by David Lloyd
4. “Romance among the angels” by Andrey Narchuk
5. “The insiders” by Qing Lin
[rebelmouse-image 19530835 dam=1 original_size=”750×499″ caption=”You might think “insiders” refers to the clownfish, but if you look closely, you can see that each carries a small crustacean known as an isopod in its mouth. These strange creatures are parasites that consume and eventually replace the fish’s tongue. Chilling. Photo by Qing Lin/Wildlife Photographer of the Year, taken in the Lembeh Strait in Indonesia.” expand=1]
6. “Sewage surfer” by Justin Hofman
7. “Bold eagle” by Klaus Nigge
8. “Resplendent delivery” by Tyohar Kastiel
9. “Winter pause” by Mats Andersson
10. “Saguaro twist” by Jack Dykinga
11. “Bear hug” by Ashleigh Scully
[rebelmouse-image 19530841 dam=1 original_size=”750×499″ caption=”With plentiful grasses, salmon, and clams, Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park is a perfect summer home for brown bear families. “I fell in love with brown bears,” Scully said. This” expand=1]
12. “Glimpse of a lynx” by Laura Albiac Vilas
13. “Saved but caged” by Steve Winter
Through these incredible photographs, the contest showcases the diverse, wild, beautiful, and ultimately fragile world we live in.
Update: The top winners of the contest were announced Oct. 17, 2017.
