A collage of three wildlife photos: a veterinary team treats a sedated chimpanzee, birds flock around a watchful lion, and a close-up of a crocodile's eyes with several butterflies resting on its head.

The British Ecological Society has announced the winners of its annual Capturing Ecology photography competition, showcasing the best images captured by international ecologists and photographers. Among the winning shots are an American crocodile staring down the lens, a flying frog, and a chimpanzee rescue mission.

Zeke Rowe, a PhD candidate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, captured this year’s overall winning photo. Rowe’s photo shows an American crocodile looking straight at him, with piercing golden eyes, and, most interesting of all, seven horseflies sitting on the crocodile’s scales, right between its eyes, feeding on its blood. It’s an interesting juxtaposition that caught the judges’ eyes.

Close-up of a crocodile’s face partially submerged in water, with several small fish or insects resting on its snout between its intense yellow eyes. The texture of the crocodile’s skin is highly detailed.Overall Winner — ‘Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly’ by Zeke Rowe; Coiba National Park, Panama | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025

“I’ve been a photographer for a couple of years but only gained the confidence to submit my photos to competitions recently, fearing my work wasn’t good enough. Winning my first competition has shown me that sometimes all it takes is some belief, and I am proud of myself for doing so,” Rowe says.

“I took this photo while on a break from research in Panama’s Coiba National Park. This crocodile was lurking in a tidal marsh off the beach. I got as close and low as I dared, waiting for that direct eye contact.”

Category Winners

Alongside Rowe’s overall winning photo, the Capturing Ecology judges also selected winners across eight categories: Animals; Plants and Fungi; Interactions; Ecologists in Action; People and Nature; Nature, Food and Farming; Mobile Ecology; and Up Close. There is also an Ecologists’ Choice Award, selected by ecologists at the British Ecological Society’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Edinburgh.

“The incredible images in this year’s Capturing Ecology are a perfect demonstration of how photography can transport us around the world, allowing us to glimpse the everyday wonders and dramatic moments of ecology,” says Professor Melanie Austen, President of the British Ecological Society.

“The British Ecological Society is a truly global community, so it brings me great joy to see such diversity in this year’s entries, from coral claiming abandoned bottles in the Philippines, to mudflats in British Columbia and then to the green sheen of intertidal seagrass meadows closer to my home in the Tamar estuary.”

All eight category winners plus the Ecologists’ Choice Award are featured below.

A green and yellow frog on a leaf.Animals Winner — ‘Wallace’s Flying Frog’ by Jamal Kabir; Peninsular Malaysian lowland forests, near Kuala Lumpur | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Two veterinarians wearing masks examine a sedated gorilla lying on an operating table in a clinic, surrounded by medical equipment, while another person sits in the background near an open window.Ecologists in Action Winner — ‘Ready for Everything’ by Roberto García-Roa; Cameroon | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A flock of small birds takes flight in front of blurred lions in the background, creating a sense of urgency and movement in a dry, sandy environment.Interactions Winner — ‘Lioness One Eye Behind Birds’ by Willem Kruger; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Aerial view of two boats navigating through a river filled with neatly arranged rows of floating logs and patches of green vegetation, creating a colorful, patterned landscape.Nature, Food and Farming Winner — ‘Jute Processing’ by Joy Saha; Natore, Bangladesh | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025
A large mushroom with a textured brown cap and white gills grows among moss, leaves, and small plants on a forest floor, with blurred green trees in the background.Mobile Ecology Winner — ‘Amanita Nothofagi’ by Hui Syn Chan; New Zealand | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Colorful coral reef with sponges, sea fans, and marine life, including small fish, in clear blue ocean water. The corals are pink, orange, and white, creating a vibrant underwater scene.People and Nature Winner — ‘Unusual Backdrop’ by Guido Villani; Philippines | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A close-up of a mushroom growing on a log, with a fly perched on top. The background is blurred with soft, circular yellow light patterns, creating a dreamy effect.Plants and Fungi Winner — ‘Miniature Encounter’ by Francisco Gamboa; Altos de Cantillana Natural Park, Chile | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A cluster of small, black-striped insect nymphs and shiny brown eggs are grouped on the surface of a vibrant green leaf. The nymphs are huddled together, while the eggs are spread below them.Up Close Winner — ‘Emerging Life’ by Sritam Kumar Sethy; Balasore, Odisha, India | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Close-up view of a green caterpillar with intricate patterns and markings on its head, resting on a green leaf against a blurred green background.Ecologists’ Choice Winner — ‘The False Eye’ by Sritam Kumar Sethy; Balasore, Odisha, India | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Highly Commended Images

Alongside the category winners above, the competition’s judges also selected 17 “Highly commended” photos, all of which are featured below.

A solitary Florida panther walks along a sun-dappled forest path, surrounded by dense green foliage and ferns.Animals — ‘Path of the Panther’ by Brandon Guell | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025
Two prairie chickens with striped brown and white feathers display dramatic courtship behavior; one leaps in the air with wings raised while the other stands on the ground with wings spread. Dry grassland fills the background.Animals — ‘Prairie Chicken Jump-Off’ by Peter Hudson | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A large, dark brown bird with a red, bare patch on its face stalks on the ground, with blurred seabirds in the misty background.Animals — ‘On the Hunt’ by Guillaume Lespagnol | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A vibrant green snake with red and white markings is coiled on a branch against a black background, flicking its tongue outward.Animals — ‘Silence in Ambush’ by Jamal Kabir | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Aerial view of a green marshland with winding, narrow water channels and textured grass or moss covering the landscape.Nature, Food and Farming — ‘Green Sheen’ by Oliver Thomas | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A smiling person in outdoor gear kneels in a wet, grassy area, gently holding several small frogs in their hands beside a white cooler labeled "RENO," surrounded by trees and sunlight.Ecologists in Action — ‘A Fistful of Frogs’ by Ryan Wagner | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A muddy wild canine leaps aggressively in shallow water, mouth open and teeth bared, attempting to catch a small brown bird flying just out of reach. Splashes and blurred motion convey dramatic action.Interactions — ‘Jackal Close Catch Eye’ by Ryan Wagner | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A lynx stands on a rock at night, holding a rabbit in its mouth. The background is dark, with some green foliage faintly visible.Interactions — ‘Hanging in the Balance’ by Stewart Finlayson | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025
People standing in shallow water at sunset, using large fishing nets on bamboo frames. The warm light and mist create a golden atmosphere, with multiple groups fishing together across the scene.Nature, Food and Farming — ‘Catch of the Day’ by Joy Saha | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Bright blue-green cup-shaped fungi grow on a dark, decaying piece of wood; their waxy, translucent surfaces glisten with moisture.Plants and Fungi — ‘Woodland Gems’ by Ben James | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A rattlesnake coiled on rocky ground, its rattle decorated with five colored plastic rings in blue, pink, orange, red, and yellow, near a stone wall with blurry vegetation in the background.People and Nature — ‘Painted Rattle’ by Ryan Wagner | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Close-up view of a large, red Rafflesia flower with a textured center and thick, petal-like lobes surrounding it, illuminated by dramatic lighting.Plants and Fungi — ‘Not a Red Flag’ by Roberto García-Roa | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Extreme close-up of tiny fish larvae with clear bodies and black eyes, attached to a surface against a soft orange background. The delicate details of the larvae are sharply visible.Plants and Fungi — ‘Glass Vases’ by Willow Bloomfield | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Extreme close-up of a black beetle’s face, showing detailed textures, fine hairs, and grains of sand or debris clinging to its mandibles and mouthparts.Up Close — ‘Dune’ by Ben James | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 A person in a black jacket swabs the nose of a wild mountain sheep wearing a collar, with more sheep and snowy mountains visible in the background under a blue sky.Ecologists in Action — ‘Bighorn Swab and Go’ by Peter Hudson | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025
An elephant stands on a large pile of garbage in a lush, green area, reaching down with its trunk while a dog observes from nearby. The sky is overcast, highlighting the contrast between nature and pollution.People and Nature — ‘Fading Giants’ by Ashane Marasinghe | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025 Three people work on a beach at night under a bright moon, illuminated by a portable light. Buckets and equipment are nearby, and the wet sand reflects the moonlight. A forest is visible in the background.Ecologists in Action — ‘Intertidal Education’ by Liam Brennan | British Ecological Society, Capturing Ecology Photo Contest 2025

“The winners and highly commended entries are all thoroughly deserving, capturing not just iconic, but often fleeting moments in nature. Collectively, the images draw attention to the fragile state of nature and reinforce the need for a stronger connection with the animals with whom we share our planet,” adds competition judge, Harriet McAra, Communications and Events Manager at Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Image credits: British Ecological Society. All photographers are credited in the individual image captions.