{"id":604683,"date":"2026-08-26T01:24:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T01:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/604683\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T01:24:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T01:24:23","slug":"butterflys-narrow-escape-among-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/604683\/","title":{"rendered":"Butterfly&#8217;s Narrow Escape Among Wildlife Photographer of the Year Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>      <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Jens-Cullmann-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A frog with its mouth open and tongue extended lunges toward a butterfly flying in front of it on a dirt surface.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869830\"   loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"sync\"\/>An African babul butterfly gets out of the way of an attack from an African bullfrog just in time. Shot in Botswana. Highly Commended, Behavior: Amphibians and Reptiles. | Photo by Jens Cullmann \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <\/p>\n<p>The Natural History Museum\u2019s Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition has given a sneak peek at 15 finalists that are set to compete for the prestigious Grand Title. <\/p>\n<p>100 images have made the cut, which will be showcased in an exhibition at the Museum in London from Friday, October 16, 2026. They were selected from over 65,000 entries and judged anonymously on their creativity, originality, technical excellence and the often-powerful stories they tell by an international panel of expert judges across wildlife photography, filmmaking, science and conservation.<\/p>\n<p> <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Jack-Crockford-800x478.jpg\" alt=\"A small bird flies in the foreground, silhouetted against a large, out-of-focus passenger airplane in the sky.\" width=\"800\" height=\"478\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869829\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A low-flying swift mirrors an incoming plane to Heathrow Airport. Highly Commended in the 15-17 Years category. | Photo by Jack Crockford \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Dewald-Tromp-800x508.jpg\" alt=\"A Namaqua chameleon sits on sand during a windstorm, with sand particles blowing across its body and the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"508\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869826\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A chameleon battles a sandstorm in the Namib Desert. Highly Commended, Animals in their Environment. | Photo by Dewald Tromp \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Shane-Gross-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A split-level view shows a school of silver fish swimming underwater below a sunset sky with a faint rainbow over a dark treeline.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869834\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A school of bigeye trevally in the Seychelles. Highly Commended, Oceans: The Bigger Picture. | Photo by Shane Gross \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Ralph-Pace-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A large, reddish-brown sea hare rests on a sandy seafloor surrounded by tall, green seagrass blades.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869833\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A sea hare glides through an eelgrass meadow in Monterey Bay. Highly Commended, Wetlands: The Bigger Picture. | Photo by Ralph Pace \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year<br \/>\n <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Pietro-Rojas-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A brown bear sits on a decorated three-wheeled motorcycle on a circus stage, while a woman in a blue and white traditional costume stands nearby with her arm extended.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869832\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A muzzled brown bear rides a motorcycle at a circus in Doha. Highly Commended, Photojournalism. | Photo by Pietro Rojas \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Vegard-Byrkjeland-Aasen-800x514.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of several orcas swimming in deep blue water, including a mother with a small calf swimming closely beside her.\" width=\"800\" height=\"514\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869836\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>An adult orca carries a deceased calf off the coast of Norway. Highly Commended, Behavior: Mammals. | Photo by Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Gil-Wizen-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A spiky, green and white camouflaged katydid rests on a branch of light green lichen against a dark background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869828\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A 15 millimeter (0.6 inches) lichen dragon katydid in the Andes Mountains, Ecuador. Highly Commended, Behavior: Invertebrates. | Photo by Gil Wizen \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Ernest-Porter-800x478.jpg\" alt=\"A red-billed oxpecker rests on the snout of a rhinoceros near its horn and eye.\" width=\"800\" height=\"478\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869827\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>An oxpecker cleans its bill against a rhino\u2019s skin in the soft afternoon light in South Africa. Highly Commended, Behavior: Birds. | Photo by Ernest Porter \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Loren-Elliott-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"A brown bear sits in a swimming pool with white beach balls and a pink donut-shaped float, next to a patio with lounge chairs and outdoor furniture.\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869831\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A black bear stops for a dip in a southern California pool. Highly Commended, Urban Wildlife. | Photo by Loren Elliott \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Andrew-Parkinson-800x519.jpg\" alt=\"A black vulture stands with wings spread wide atop the carcass of a caiman floating in dark water.\" width=\"800\" height=\"519\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869824\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A black vulture stands on the carcass of a yacare caiman in Brazil\u2019s Pantanal wetlands. Highly Commended, Animal Portraits. | Photo by Andrew Parkinson \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Bence-Mate-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A large flock of birds flies across a golden, sunset-lit landscape where two antelopes stand in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869825\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A flock of birds descend to quench their thirst at a small pond in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. Highly Commended, Behavior: Birds. | Photo by Bence Mate \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year<br \/>\n <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Andrea-and-Maceo-Grammatico-640x800.jpg\" alt=\"A mosquito stands on top of a pit viper's head, with its proboscis touching the snake's scales.\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869823\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A mosquito drinks a venemous viper\u2019s blood. Highly Commended, Animal Portraits. | Photo by Andrea and Maceo Grammatico \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Allegra-Hutton-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"A black-and-white photograph shows a squirrel climbing a weathered wooden pole, while a leopard's paws and part of its face peek out from behind the other side.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869822\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>A young leopard chases a squirrel up a tree in Botswana\u2019s Okavango Delta. Highly Commended, Behavior: Mammals. | Photo by Allegra Hutton \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <img src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/\u00a9-Sora-Miyazawa-636x800.jpg\" alt=\"A toad sits on a wet metal grate in the foreground, with a blurred figure walking under an umbrella and a glowing tower in the background at night.\" width=\"636\" height=\"800\" class=\"size-large wp-image-869835\"   loading=\"lazy\" fetchpriority=\"low\" decoding=\"async\"\/>An Eastern Japanese toad wanders through the streets of Tokyo shortly after rainfall. Highly Commended in the 11-14 Years category. | Photo by Sora Miyazara \/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year <\/p>\n<p>The category winners and the prestigious Grand Title and Young Grand Title awards will be announced on Tuesday 13 October 2026 at a ceremony hosted at the Natural History Museum. The ceremony will be available to watch live on the Natural History Museum\u2019s YouTube channel.<\/p>\n<p>Check out last year\u2019s winners <a href=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/2025\/10\/14\/eerie-photo-of-hyena-stalking-abandoned-mining-town-wins-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2025\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An African babul butterfly gets out of the way of an attack from an African bullfrog just in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":604684,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[61,60,82,263],"class_list":["post-604683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-science","tag-wildlife"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/604683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=604683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/604683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/604684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=604683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=604683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=604683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}