The winner of the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award has been revealed today.
Taken by a camera trap, the winning photograph shows a snow leopard at sunset against the mountains of Ladakh in northern India.
A record 60,466 votes were collected for the competition, and German photographer Sascha Fonseca’s ‘World of the snow leopard’ emerged as the favourite.
Fonseca’s image was selected from a shortlist of 25 images that were chosen by the Natural History Museum from nearly 39,000 images that were submitted for the fifty-eighth competition.
The image will be displayed in the redesigned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum until it closes on 2 July 2023.
Fonseca said: “Photography can connect people to wildlife and encourage them to appreciate the beauty of the unseen natural world. I believe that a greater understanding of wildlife leads to deeper caring which hopefully results in active support and greater public interest for conservation.’
Dr Douglas Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum added: “This year’s record number of votes illustrates how wildlife photography can engage and inspire audiences with the wonder of nature. A result of dedication and perseverance, Sascha’s remarkable image captures the breathtaking beauty of our planet and reminds us of our shared responsibility to protect it.”
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, and creates an exhibition within the Museum. The fifty-ninth competition is currently being judged by a panel of experts, and the winners will be revealed in October 2023.
