Every year, The National History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award captivates the world with breathtaking images that reveal the beauty, power, and fragility of nature. With nearly 60,000 entries submitted tis year, only a select few made it to the top—chosen by both expert judges and, in the case of the People’s Choice Award, the public.
This year’s winner, ‘No Access’ by Ian Wood, is a striking yet playful portrait of a badger seemingly admiring a Banksy-style mural—a reminder of how urban and wild worlds collide.
Next to it, four other highly commended images showcase nature in its rawest form: from a stoat blending seamlessly into snowy Belgium, to a fiery Chilean volcano illuminating the night, a brutal battle between a honey badger and a porcupine, and a ghostly barn owl emerging at dusk.
These stunning photographs highlight the resilience of wildlife and the artistry of those who capture it. Discover below the images that won the hearts of the public
No Access – Ian Wood
The winner of the People’s Choice Award 2024 was this adorable, clever and important capture by British photographer Ian Woods. An ambling Eurasian badger appears to glance up at badger graffiti on a quiet road in St Leonards-on-Sea, England, UK. Residents had been leaving food scraps for foxes but Ian noticed that badgers were also coming to forage, so set up a small hide on the edge of the road to take his picture.
Wood told the BBC that he had spent ‘the best part of two years’ photographing the badgers and that he thought it would be ‘fun to put the graffiti there and see if I could get a badger walking underneath it’.
Dr Douglas Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: ‘Ian’s flawlessly timed image offers a unique glimpse of nature’s interaction with the human world, underscoring the importance of understanding urban wildlife.
‘His exceptional photograph serves as a powerful reminder that local nature and wildlife, often just outside our homes, can inspire and captivate us.’
Wood also stressed that the photograph highlights the threat to badgers, calling for an end to culling which, he says, is ‘decimating’ the declining population.
Despite being protected under UK law, badgers continue to face threats from habitat loss, road accidents, and the controversial government-led culling program aimed at controlling bovine tuberculosis in cattle.
He said: ‘I would swap this award immediately for the government to rescind all existing badger culling licenses. My hope is for this image to raise awareness of the damaging effect of the badger cull and help push for change.’
Wood, who has just been appointed an ambassador for campaign group Badger Trust added: ‘The outpouring of badger love since my photo was nominated for the People’s Choice Award has been beautifully overwhelming. Finding out that it has won is truly humbling.
Wood’s badger photograph will be displayed both online and on the interactive voting screens at the Natural History Museum, London, until June 29, 2025. @ianwoodywood
White Out – Michel d’Oultremont
White Out by Michel d’Oultrement was highly commended in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. Michel had been looking for stoats in the snow for many years as he wanted to take a photograph that showed how these beautiful creatures blend in with the whiteness of the landscape.
He’d seen a few in Switzerland but never in his native Belgium until one day, when he lay patiently in the snow with a white camouflage net covering all but his lens. This curious stoat came out of its snowy hole and sat up from time to time, observing its territory just before setting off to hunt. @Micheldoultrement
Earth and Sky – Francisco Negroni
Earth and Sky by Francisco Negroni (Chile) was highly commended in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. It shows a double lenticular cloud illuminated at nightfall by the lava emitted from the Villarrica volcano, Chile. Villarica is in the town of Pucón in the south of Chile. It’s one of the country’s most active volcanoes and last erupted in 2015. Francisco takes regular trips to Villarrica to monitor its activity.
On this visit, he stayed nearby for 10 nights. He says every trip is ‘quite an adventure – never knowing what the volcano might surprise you with’. Some nights are calm, others furious as in this photograph, where the brightness of the crater illuminates the night sky. @francisconegroni_fotografo
Spiked – David Northall
Spiked by David Northall (UK) was highly commended in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award It shows how a bloodied yet determined honey badger returns to finish off a Cape porcupine, which earlier had tried to defend itself. Found throughout Botswana, honey badgers are famously ferocious. They often chase animals many times their own size. This honey badger got an unpleasant surprise when it attacked the normally nocturnal Cape porcupine.
The badger grabbed the porcupine’s right leg. In defence, the porcupine repeatedly backed into its attacker, piercing it with many quills. During a lull in the attack, the porcupine managed to shuffle away, its leg badly damaged. After a short retreat, the bloodied badger returned. It finished off the porcupine under a bush close to the original attack then dragged it into its underground den. @photomanpics
Edge of Night – Jess Findlay
Edge of Night by Jess Findlay (Canada) was highly commended in the Natural History Museum’s
Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. It depicts a ghostly barn owl as it exits the hayloft window of a derelict barn to hunt in fields outside Vancouver, Canada. Jess quietly watched the owl for several nights to understand its habits. He set up an invisible beam that would trigger a flash when the owl flew out of the barn. Simultaneously, a slow shutter speed gathered ambient light cast on the clouds and barn. On the tenth night, all the moving parts came together as the owl left to begin its hunt. @jessfindlay
