A stunning image of a rare white humpback whale has won the grand prize of World Nature Photographer of the Year 2026.
Jono Allen’s image of a calf and its mother was taken in Vava’u, Tonga. Humpback whales migrate to Tonga’s warm waters to give birth, but a white whale is exceptionally rare. The calf, who was named Mãhina by locals, was first filmed in 2024.
Jono said: “Sharing this moment with Mãhina and her protective mother is a memory that will live with me forever. It was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary days I have ever experienced in the ocean – and perhaps ever will.”
World Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 received thousands of entries from photographers across 51 countries, in categories ranging from urban wildlife to photo journalism.
The 2027 competition is also now officially open for entries, with photographers able to apply on the
World Nature Photography Awards website.
World Nature Photographer of the Year 2026 winners
Mãhina by Jono Allen – Underwater category, Gold and Grand prize
Jono Allen took this incredible image of a rare white humpback calf in Vava’u, Tonga. Sharing the image on their Facebook page, Jono wrote: “Only approximately 1 in 40,000 humpbacks have this rare all white skin condition and never before has one been witnessed yet alone photographed in Tonga.” – Credit – Jono Allen / World Nature Photography Awards
Determination by Elizabeth Yicheng Shen – Animal portraits category, Bronze
A lioness gently moves her cub. Elizabeth captured this image on a game drive in Mara North Conservancy, Kenya – Credit: Elizabeth Yicheng Shen / World Nature Photography Awards
Splash by Charlie Wemyss-Dunn – Animals in their habitat category, Gold
Charlie Wemyss-Dunn captures the dramatic moment a brown bear attempts to catch sockeye salmon in Katmai National Park, Alaska – Credit: Charlie Wemyss-Dunn / World Nature Photography Awards
A delicate balance by Henning Olsen – Behaviour – Amphibians and reptiles category, Bronze
Henning Olsen photographs the moment two damselflies perch on the head of a grass snake in Denmark’s Boserup Lake – Credit: Henning Olsen / World Nature Photography Awards
Eye on the prize by Vince Burton – Behaviour – Birds category, Silver
Vince Burton captures the last view of a barn owl’s prey in this shot in Norfolk, England – Credit: Vince Burton / World Nature Photography Awards
Home on the leaves by Minghui Yuan – Behaviour – Invertebrates category, Gold
“In the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna [China], I found a moss moth larva creating a protective net nest on newly grown tender leaves of plants. Moss moth larvae bite off their toxic hair like structures and use their sticky saliva to build their own houses. It uses its own poisonous fur as building material, which can resist attacks from parasitic wasps and ants.” – Credit: Minghui Yuan / World Nature Photography Awards
Bear hug by Michael Stavrakakis – Behaviour – Mammals category, Silver
Michael took this image of a mother polar bear and her 6-month-old cub in Svalbard, Norway. Cubs stay with their mothers for just over two years – Credit: Michael Stavrakakis / World Nature Photography Awards
The rugby players by Preeti and Prashant Chacko – Black and white category, Bronze
Preeti and Prashant Chacko specialise in black and white photography. Here, rhinos appear to charge egrets in the Solio Game Reserve, Kenya – Credit: Preeti and Prashant Chacko / World Nature Photography Awards
Ghost of the reef by Simon Biddie – Nature category, Gold
The ghost goby is native to the Red Sea and western Indo-Pacific. Here, one blends into a reef at Marsa Alam, in Egypt – Credit: Simon Biddie / World Nature Photography Awards
Chimp paradise 30 by Alain Schroeder – Nature photojournalism, Gold
This image shows Kayla, a 37-year-old female chimpanzee, in preparation for an ultrasound. This image was taken at the chimpanzee sanctuary Save the Chimps, in Fort Pierce, Florida – Credit: Alain Schroeder / World Nature Photography Awards
The wildlife photographer by Deena Sveinsson – People and nature category, Gold
Deena Sveinsson’s image captures the moment a bull moose appears to look down the lens of a camera in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming – Deena Sveinsson / World Nature Photography Awards
The eye of the dragon by Miki Spitzer – Planet Earth’s landscapes and environments, Gold
The swirling colours of a geothermal pool are captured in Miki Spitzer’s drone image, taken at Hveravellir in central Iceland – Credit: Miki Spitzer / World Nature Photography Awards
Explosion of life by Giovanni Vicari – Plants and fungi category, Silver
Xylaria hypoxylon fungus (also known as candlesnuff fungus) is often found growing on dead wood and contains anti-viral properties. Giovanni took this image in in Piana di Segni, Italy – Credit: Giovanni Vicari / World Nature Photography Awards
I am the boss by Arghya Adhikary – Urban wildlife category, Silver
The capital of India’s West Bengal state, Kolkata, has a population of Indian jackals (Canis aureus indicus, a subspecies of the golden jackal) – but they are threatened by increasing urbanisation – Credit: Arghya Adhikary / World Nature Photography Awards