The 21 Fantastic Winners of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2026

Mar 09, 2026

Jeremy Gray

A triptych: left, a fox walks at night near a chain-link fence in colored light; center, a silhouette of a person swimming reflected in rippled water with tree branches; right, a pine marten stands upright on a mossy rock in daylight.

The British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) winners have been revealed, showcasing Britain’s very best nature and wildlife images. Photographers entered more than 12,000 photos of Britain’s wonderful wildlife, and competed across 11 different categories.

British Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Photographer Paul Hobson earned top honors, winning the competition’s grand prize and being named the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Hobson’s mesmerizing photo below, which also won the competition’s Black and White category, was captured from a pond-floor perspective in Sheffield, England, and shows a toad swimming across the water’s surface.

A person’s silhouette is reflected in water, surrounded by bare tree branches. Ripples distort the reflection, creating a surreal, almost dreamlike effect in black and white. — Overall Winner — British Wildlife Photographer of the Year, ‘A Toad Swims Across Its Woodland Pond’ by © Paul Hobson | British Wildlife Photography Awards

“I am lucky to have a pond close to my house that has relatively clear water,” Hobson says. “Toads use this pond to breed in, and I decided I wanted to try to capture an image looking up from the bottom of the pond.”

Hobson built a homemade glass box and placed it at the bottom of the pond, controlling its shutter with an adapted long cable release.

“I had to wait quite a long time until a toad swam across the surface — most of them would usually swim below it and rest on the glass,” Hobson explains. As the spectacular shot above shows, Hobson eventually nailed it.

Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The competition also named photographer Ben Lucas its Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. Lucas’ close-up portrait of a young, sleeping mute swan cygnet napping on its sibling’s back is a pleasant reminder of the calm, peaceful moments nature so rarely provides. Lucas also won the 15-17 Years category with his shot.

“Nature can often be so cruel, but tender moments like this warm my heart!” the young photographer remarks.

A close-up of a fluffy gray cygnet sleeping with its eyes closed and head resting on its soft body, set against a dark, blurred background. — Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year — ‘Feathery Pillow’ by © Ben Lucas (15-17 Years Winner) | British Wildlife Photography Awards

Category Winners

Adult photographers competed across 11 categories, ranging from Animal Behavior to Wild Woods. There are three age groups in the youth competition: 11 and Under, 12-14 Years, and 15-17 Years. All the category winners and runners-up are featured below.

“This year’s winners celebrate the wonder, diversity and character of British wildlife in truly exceptional ways,” says Will Nicholls, Director of British Wildlife Photography Awards. “From familiar species to rarely seen moments, the portfolio showcases the skill and passion of the photographers behind the lens. Together, they offer a joyful celebration of Britain’s natural world, while also reminding us why these places and species are so deserving of our care and protection.”

A hawk pins a smaller bird to the grass with its talons, wings spread wide. The smaller bird lies on its back, beak open in distress, while the green grass and some small white flowers surround them. — Animal Behavior, Winner — ‘Nemesis’ by © Mark Parker | British Wildlife Photography Awards

Two brown hares stand upright facing each other, appearing to box with their front paws raised. The background is softly blurred, highlighting their detailed fur and expressive faces. — Animal Behavior, Runner-Up — ‘The Fur Flew’ by © Sarah Darnell | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A pine marten stands upright on its hind legs on a mossy rock, surrounded by soft-focus green vegetation and natural light. Its brown fur and creamy-yellow throat patch are clearly visible. — Animal Portraits, Winner — ‘Standing Tall’ by © Alastair Marsh | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A red fox sits alertly on green grass, surrounded by a soft, blurred frame of purple flowers, with a dark green background. — Animal Portraits, Runner-Up — ‘Through the Lavender’ by © Felix Belloin | British Wildlife Photography Awards

Close-up of three tiny fungus-like structures on a twig; one is blue and textured, and the other two are brown with a clear water droplet between them, against a soft blurred yellow-orange background. — Botanical Britain, Winner — ‘Slime Molds and a Water Droplet’ by © Barry Webb | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A network of green, web-like neural cells with round centers interconnected by thin strands, set against a dark blue background, resembling a complex biological or neural network. — Botanical Britain, Runner-Up — ‘The Algaeverse’ by © David Higgins | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A silhouette of a fox walking on a tiled surface at night, illuminated by a spotlight from behind, casting long, dramatic shadows on the ground. — Black and White, Runner-Up — ‘Emerging in the Light’ by © Chris Wardell | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A brightly colored, neon green crab with striped patterns crawls on a dark, algae-covered underwater surface, illuminated by dramatic, colorful lighting. — Coast and Marine, Winner — ‘Glowing Bright’ by © James Lynott | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A silhouette of a bird, possibly a swan, is surrounded by bright, circular light reflections, creating an abstract, dreamy effect in black and white. — Coast and Marine, Runner-Up — ‘Silhouetted Puffin’ by © Julian Terreros-Martin | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A small bird with a white chest and brown body stands on a mossy rock in the middle of a flowing stream, surrounded by blurred, rushing water and green trees in the background. — Habitat Winner — ‘Dipper Dream’ by © Marc Humphrey | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A white hare camouflaged against a snowy landscape with patches of brown grass, blending in almost perfectly with the surroundings. — Habitat, Runner-Up — ‘Winter Touch’ by © Mario Suarez | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A close-up view of a small, brown salamander larva inside a translucent, round egg sac, surrounded by several blurred green egg sacs in the background. — Hidden Britain, Winner — ‘New Life’ by © Julian Terreros-Martin | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A close-up of a spider wrapping its prey, an insect, in silk. The spider’s legs and eyes are visible as it encases the insect, which is mostly covered in webbing, against a dark background. — Hidden Britain, Runner-Up — ‘Surprising Meal’ by © Adam Ferry | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A fox is curled up and sleeping on the seat of an orange construction vehicle, next to a can of spray. Metal fence bars and a blurred building are visible in the background. — Urban Wildlife, Winner — ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ by © Simon Withyman | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A fox walks along a dimly lit urban street at night, illuminated by red and green lights near a brick building with a metal gate and a discarded bag on the ground. — Urban Wildlife, Runner-Up — ‘Night Dweller’ by Kyle Moore | British Wildlife Photography Awards

Golden sunlight streams dramatically through the branches of a leafless tree in a forest, creating a radiant, starburst effect and illuminating the misty air with a warm, glowing light. — Wild Woods, Winner — ‘Beams of Brightness’ by © Mark Richardson | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A large tree with twisting branches covered in moss stands among bright yellow autumn leaves, with heather and other plants at its base. — Wild Woods, Runner-Up — ‘Autumn Dancer’ by © Duncan Wood | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A close-up of a bee peering out from the entrance of its nest in a hole in the ground, showing detailed eyes, antennae, and fuzzy head surrounded by brown soil. — 11 and Under Winner — ‘Cutting Edge’ by © Jamie Smart | British Wildlife Photography Awards

A falcon with outstretched wings hovers in the air against a clear blue sky, grasping its raised talons as if about to catch something or land. — 12-14 Years Winner — ‘Acrobatic Hobby’ by © Jack Crockford | British Wildlife Photography Awards

More From the British Wildlife Photography Awards

All awarded photos from this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards are featured in a hardcover coffee-table book, published by Graffeg Books. Actor, writer, and director Mackenzie Crook did the book’s foreword. The photo book is available to preorder now from the BWPA’s website for £35. It includes over 250 winning and shortlisted photos from the 2026 competition.

Entries are already open now for the 2027 British Wildlife Photography Awards.

Image credits: British Wildlife Photography Awards. All photographers are credited in the individual captions.