A creepy crocodile and glacial ‘guts’ among stunning winners from nature photography competition

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2 years ago

March 17, 2023

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“Danger in the mud,” by Jens Cullmann (Germany), is the grand prize winner of the 2022 World Nature Photography Awards. (Image credit: Jens Cullmann)

A creepy portrait of a crocodile keeping a watchful, yellow eye from a mud pool is the grand prize winner of the 2022 World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA), which honored the most evocative shots from thousands of entries in a variety of categories. The photo was taken in Zimbabwe by Jens Cullmann of Germany, who won the award for World Nature Photographer of the Year and scooped top prize for Animal portraits..

“This photograph is the result of my staking out the largest pool in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, at a time when an extended drought had reduced the pool to rapidly-drying mud,” Cullmann told the WNPA (opens in new tab) . “I had to be very careful not to disturb the crocodile, even though it was buried in dry mud. They will launch themselves with tremendous speed and power at any animal foolish enough to come too close.”

From underwater wonders to spectacular landscapes, here are the 2022 winners in each category.

Related: Best wildlife photography cameras 2023 Behavior – Amphibians and reptiles

“Ride on you,” by Norihiro Ikuma (Japan), was the winner in the Behavior – Amphibians and reptiles category. (Image credit: Norihiro Ikuma)

Norihiro Ikuma of Japan captured this otherworldly scene of two Japanese stream toads (Bufo torrenticola), also known as Honshū toads, looking over long strings of toad eggs as one toad rides on the other’s back. These animals are endemic to Japan and only come down from the mountains of Owase in Mie to the river when it is time to spawn. Behavior – Birds

“I’m coming for you,” by Charles Schmidt (U.S.), was the winner in the Behavior – Birds category. (Image credit: Charles Schmidt)

This male hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) is heading straight for the camera lens, where photographer Charles Schmidt was patiently waiting for the bird to take off in Huntley Meadows Park, Virginia. “Ducks will often begin swimming more quickly when they are preparing to fly,” Schmidt told the WNPA. “I saw that they began to swim more quickly and thus was prepared to catch them taking off. I was lucky that they headed directly towards me!” Behavior – Invertebrates

“The ghost of the rocks,” by Javier Herranz Casellas (Spain), was the winner in the Behavior – Invertebrates category. (Image credit: Javier Herranz Casellas)

This red crab (Grapsus adscensionis) was photographed by Javier Herranz Casellas on La Gomera, in Spain’s Canary Islands, just as a wave hit the rock where it was perched. The crab was looking for small crustaceans and plants to feed on when a thin veil of water streamed over its back, giving it a distinct Spider-Man-like appearance. Behavior – Mammals

“Playgroup,” by Hidetoshi Ogata (Japan), was the winner in the Behavior – Mammals category. (Image credit: Hidetoshi Ogata)

Hidetoshi Ogata photographed a rarely seen behavior of six Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) cozying up in a huddle during the lactation season on Japan’s Awaji Island. It takes just one embrace between a mother and her baby to entice other female and male monkeys to join a huddle, which can sometimes include more than 30 individuals and is thought to encourage grooming and cuddling behavior. Animals in their habitat

“The world is mine,” by Sascha Fonseca (U.A.E.), was the winner in the Animals in their habitat category. (Image credit: Sascha Fonseca)

Sascha Fonseca, from the United Arab Emirates, set up a camera trap on the snowy peaks of the Indian Himalayas to snap this rare picture of a snow leopard (Panthera uncia). “I captured this image during a 3-year DSLR [digital-single-lens reflex] camera trap project in the Ladakh region of northern India,” Fonseca told the WNPA. “The mystery surrounding the snow leopard always fascinated me. They are some of the most difficult large cats to photograph in the wild. Not only because of their incredible stealth, but also because of the remote environment they live in.” Black and white

“Thankfulness,” by Ernoult Alain (France), was the winner in the Black and white category. (Image credit: Ernoult Alain)

Ernoult Alain of France photographed this Lesser Antillean iguana (Iguana delicatissima), which looks like it’s rubbing its tummy after a big meal, on the Caribbean island of Grenada. The image captures, in stunning detail, the scales and folds of this endemic lizard’s skin as the animal stretches its neck. Nature art

“Underwater colorful snowstorm,” by Tom Shlesinger (Israel), was the winner in the Nature art category. (Image credit: Tom Shlesinger)

Coral spawning underwater is a tricky event to capture, as it happens only for a few minutes, at a certain hour on a single night of the year. Tom Shlesinger of Israel captured the rare moment when thousands of corals cast their egg-and-sperm bundles into the open water, resulting in an artistic composition of what looks like a balloon-filled night sky. The bundles are carried away by sea currents and mix so that the sperm fertilize the eggs in the water. Nature photojournalism

“Injured fur seal,” by Nicolas Remy (Australia), was the winner in the Nature photojournalism category. (Image credit: Nicolas Remy)

Nicolas Remy captured this heartbreaking photo of an Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) with bad injuries caused by a boat propeller in Australia’s Port Kembla. Marine mammals such as whales, seals and sea lions are frequently hit by boats of all sizes, often resulting in injury and, sometimes, death. People and Nature

“The guts,” by Virgil Reglioni (Norway), was the winner of the People and nature category. (Image credit: Virgil Reglioni)

To take this photograph, Virgil Reglioni of Norway abseiled down into the depths of a glacier at night. “This is how it feels to be inside the glacier’s guts,” he told the WNPA. “Not many people would even dare to go in there, where it is deep, cold, loud and wet. And that is the whole purpose of this photograph; pushing your limits to capture what few people will ever experience at night. Abseiling down felt incredible, as the more we penetrated into this dark monster, the more the fear rises up. The setup was simply impressive, and I did feel amazing just being hanging into that moulin with about 30 meters [100 feet] of dark void under my feet and my hanging tripod in the air.” Planet Earth’s landscapes and environments

“The Grand Tetons,” by Jake Mosher (U.S.), was the winner in the Planet Earth’s landscapes and environment category. (Image credit: Jake Mosher)

This panoramic shot of the Milky Way crowning Grand Teton was U.S. photographer Jake Mosher’s reward for climbing to the top of Wyoming’s Table Mountain on a clear spring night. Towering 13,775 feet (4,199 m) high, Grand Teton is the highest peak in the Teton Range.

“On June 17th, 2021, I hiked, snowshoed and climbed to the 11,000-foot [3,400 m] summit of Wyoming’s Table Mountain to photograph the Milky Way over Grand Teton Peak,” Mosher told the WNPA. “While these iconic mountains have been photographed tens of thousands of times, I wanted to show an entirely unique view of them. I was treated to one of the most spectacular displays of airglow that I’ve ever seen — similar to the aurora and created by photo-charged particles, but spanning much of the horizon.” Plants and fungi

“Tree of life,” by Julie Kenny (Australia), was the winner in the Plants and fungi category. (Image credit: Julie Kenny)

Julie Kenny of Australia captured sheep tracks surrounding a fallen tree in this evocative shot. “The tree is seen as a sacred symbol, which carries significant meanings in both religious and spiritual philosophies,” Kenny told the WNPA. “From above, the surrounding sheep tracks combined with the fallen tree reminded me of the Tree of Life. While the aerial perspective focuses on the earth, you can see the pooled water in the sheep tracks reflecting hints of blue from the sky. While this represents many different things, for me it communicates the interconnection of all things, beginnings and endings, the cycling of life.” Underwater

“Harlequin shrimps,” by Adriano Morettin (Italy), was the winner in the Underwater category. (Image credit: Adriano Morettin)

Positioning the camera to focus on a blue sea star (Linckia laevigata), Adriano Morettin of Italy photographed a couple of color-coordinated harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera picta) in Lembeh Strait in Indonesia. Female harlequin shrimps grow larger than males do — up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. Urban Wildlife

“The home of the kestrel,” by Vladislav Tasev (U.K.), is the winner in the Urban wildlife category. (Image credit: Vladislav Tasev) RELATED STORIES—Buzzing bees, sperm-covered sea stars stun judges of Wildlife Photographer of the Year

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—Heartbreaking photo reveals a baby baboon still clinging to its dead mother as she’s carried away by a leopard

Vladislav Tasev of the United Kingdom spotted this male common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) perching on the doorstep of its new street-lamp home in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

“I took the picture at sunset to see the rust, the lamps and the bird in natural light,” Tasev told the WNPA. “The photo was taken in the town of Stara Zagora near the Thracian University, in an abandoned parking lot near a small forest.”

Politics

Farage has ‘grabbed the mic’ to dominate media agenda, says Harman

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1 hour ago

May 30, 2025

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Farage has 'grabbed the mic' to dominate media agenda, says Harman

Nigel Farage has successfully exploited the Commons recess to “grab the mic” and “dominate” the agenda, Harriet Harman has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, the Labour peer said that the Reform UK leader has been able to “get his voice heard” while government was not in “full swing”.

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Mr Farage used a speech this week to set himself, rather than Kemi Badenoch’s Tories, up as the main opposition to Sir Keir Starmer at the next election.

The prime minister responded on Thursday with a speech attacking the Clacton MP.

Baroness Harman said: “It’s slightly different between opposition and government because in government, the ministers have to be there the whole time.

“They’ve got to be putting legislation through and they kind of hold the mic.

“They can dominate the news media with the announcements they’re making and with the bills they’re introducing, and it’s quite hard for the opposition to get a hearing whilst the government is in full swing.

“What we used to do when we were in opposition before 1997 is that as soon as there was a bank holiday and the House was not sitting, as soon as the half-term or the summer recess, we would be on an absolute war footing and dominate the airwaves because that was our opportunity.

“And I think that’s a bit of what Farage has done this week,” Harman added.

“Basically, Farage can dominate the media agenda.”

She went on: “He’s kind of stepped forward, and he’s using this moment of the House not sitting in order to actually get his voice heard.

“It’s sensible for the opposition to take the opportunity of when the House is not sitting to kind of grab the mic and that is what Nigel Farage has done.”

But Baroness Harman said it “doesn’t seem to be what Kemi Badenoch’s doing”.

She explained that the embattled leader “doesn’t seem to be grabbing the mic like Nigel Farage has” during recess, and added that “there’s greater opportunity for the opposition”.

Sports

Oilers win West, book Cup rematch vs. Panthers

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1 hour ago

May 30, 2025

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Oilers win West, book Cup rematch vs. Panthers

ESPN News Services

May 29, 2025, 10:56 PM ET

DALLAS — Connor McDavid had the breakaway goal that swung the momentum back to the Edmonton Oilers, and their captain happily touched the trophy they got after wrapping up another Western Conference title.

McDavid got that big goal in the second period after an earlier assist, 40-year-old Corey Perry scored again and the Oilers are going to their second Stanley Cup Final in a row after beating the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday night in Game 5 to wrap up the West finals.

When McDavid accepted the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, he gladly put his hands on it this time.

“It’s pretty obvious I think,” McDavid said about what was different from the end of last year’s West finals. “Don’t touch it last year; you don’t win. Touch it this year; hopefully we win.”

Edmonton scored on its first two shots and jumped ahead 3-0 in the first 8:07 on way to eliminating the Stars in the West finals for the second year in a row.

The Oilers get another rematch, against defending Stanley Cup champion Florida after their series last June went seven games after the Panthers had won the first three games. Game 1 is Wednesday night in Edmonton.

It’s the 12th rematch in Stanley Cup playoff history and the first since 2009 (Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings). Oddsmakers made the title odds a toss-up, with the Panthers and Oilers each listed at -110 to win the Cup on Thursday at ESPN BET.

Dallas was within a goal when Thomas Harley had a one-timer blocked by Mattias Ekholm, the Oilers defenseman playing for the first time this postseason. McDavid gathered the long ricochet well past center ice, stayed ahead of speedy Roope Hintz and beat goalie Casey DeSmith with 5:32 left in the second period.

“That’s a Connor McDavid kind of play and that’s just the player he is,” Perry said.

Mattias Janmark, Jeff Skinner, Evander Kane and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for Edmonton, the last an empty-netter in the closing seconds. Leon Draisaitl and Jake Walman each had two assists.

Jason Robertson scored twice and Hintz had a goal for the Stars, who ended their season in the West finals for the third year in a row. Wyatt Johnston and Harley each had two assists.

“You’ve got to keep knocking on the door,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “We chased every single game in this series and that’s a tough way to play hockey against that team. It was the story of the entire series, but the fourth goal, Connor’s goal … puck bounces into the neutral zone, he’s coming off the bench, he’s not missing that. It’s game over.”

DeSmith had taken over in net after starting goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled following Janmark’s goal that made it 2-0 only 7:09 into the game.

Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner had 14 saves. DeSmith, who hadn’t played since April 26 in Game 1 of the first round against Colorado, stopped 17 of 20 shots.

Perry scored on a power play, assisted by McDavid and Draisaitl, only 2:31 in the game. His seven goals are the most by any player age 39 or older in a single postseason, and the 2007 Stanley Cup champion with Anaheim when he was 22 is now going to his fifth Final in the past six seasons.

That was McDavid’s 100th assist in 90 playoff games, making him the second-fastest player in NHL history to reach that mark. Wayne Gretzky had 100 assists in his first 70 playoff games, and no other player has reached the mark in fewer than 125 games.

Robertson scored a minute into the third period to get the Stars within a goal again. Kane then scored on a shot that went off the skate of Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell and past DeSmith.

Jeff Skinner, the 33-year-old forward who has played 1,078 regular-season games over 15 years with three teams, scored his first career postseason goal for the 3-0 lead. His playoff debut was in the first-round opener against Los Angeles on April 21, but he didn’t play again until Thursday, when the Oilers were without injured forwards Zach Hyman and Connor Brown.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Sports

Stars’ DeBoer defends call to pull Oettinger early

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1 hour ago

May 30, 2025

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Stars' DeBoer defends call to pull Oettinger early

Ryan S. ClarkMay 30, 2025, 12:45 AM ET
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DALLAS — Jake Oettinger is one reason the Stars are in a championship window, yet his Game 5 performance Thursday night was instrumental in Dallas’ third straight Western Conference finals exit.

Oettinger allowed two goals on Edmonton‘s first two shots, leading Stars coach Peter DeBoer to pull his star goaltender, hoping it would spark a change. It did, as Dallas pulled within a goal twice only to watch its season end in a 6-3 loss to the Oilers.

“Any time you pull a goalie the reasoning is to always try and spark your group,” DeBoer said. “So that’s your No. 1 reason. We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with the lead, and obviously, we’re in a 2-0 hole right away. I didn’t take that lightly, and I didn’t blame it all on Jake.

“But the reality is, if you go back to last year’s playoffs, he’s lost six of seven games to Edmonton.”

Dallas’ downfall began when rookie forward Mavrik Bourque was called for high-sticking with 18:13 left in the first period. The Oilers needed less than a minute for Corey Perry to score on the man advantage for a 1-0 lead. Mattias Janmark then scored nearly five minutes later for a 2-0 lead.

The early deficit continued a trend for the Stars, who allowed the first goal in their past seven playoff games going back to Game 5 of their semifinal series against the Winnipeg Jets.

Casey DeSmith relieved Oettinger, who logged 7:09 in ice time in his second appearance this postseason. His first came in the Stars’ 4-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the quarterfinals, when he played 19:50.

DeSmith stopped the first two shots he faced, but the Oilers took a 3-0 lead on the third via Jeff Skinner, who entered the lineup after Zach Hyman suffered an injury in Game 4 that is expected to keep him out throughout the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers.

The Stars twice cut the deficit to one goal. Jason Robertson scored the first of his two goals with 8:20 left in the opening period before Roope Hintz scored on a power-play goal with 7:33 remaining in the second, trimming the lead to 3-2.

Oilers superstar captain Connor McDavid countered on a breakaway, maneuvering past Hintz and scoring for a 4-2 edge with 5:32 left in the second.

Robertson’s second goal just 38 seconds into the third brought it to within one again, but Evander Kane‘s attempt to throw a pass into the slot was redirected off Esa Lindell‘s skate and into the net for a 5-3 lead less than three minutes later.

That effectively ended the Stars’ comeback before Kasperi Kapanen‘s empty-netter pushed it to 6-3 with 11 seconds left.

“I don’t know the timing of it, but I think they scored pretty quickly both times,” Robertson said of the Stars coming within a goal. “It’s disappointing.”

Robertson was then asked about the message sent by DeBoer regarding the decision to pull Oettinger.

“We gotta step up,” he said. “It’s unacceptable for us to let him hang him out like that. The whole playoffs, he’s been our guy. The whole season. It’s unacceptable.”

Oettinger, who won more than 30 regular-season games for a fourth straight season, began last year’s Western Conference finals with a 2.08 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage through the first three games as the Stars took a 2-1 lead. But he then lost the next three games while posting a 3.09 GAA and a .847 save percentage with the Stars falling in Game 6 despite allowing only 10 shots on goal.

Dallas opened this series with a comeback 6-3 win as Oettinger gave up three goals on 24 shots. Game 4 was the only time this series in which his save percentage exceeded .900 (.935 after stopping 29 of 31 shots).

“So, it was to partly spark our team and wake them up,” DeBoer said. “And partly knowing [the] status quo had not been working, and that’s a pretty big sample size.”

Oettinger’s early exit adds to what will be an offseason of intrigue for a Stars team that has several financial decisions to make in what is expected to be an active offseason in the Western Conference.

PuckPedia projects the team will have a little more than $4.96 million remaining in cap space because it traded for Mikko Rantanen and signed him to an eight-year deal worth $12 million annually, in addition to the pay bumps players such as Wyatt Johnston and Oettinger will receive starting next season.

Dallas will have a seven-player class of unrestricted free agents led by captain Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene. Benn told ESPN in late March that he didn’t envision playing for any other team.

Along with reconfiguring parts of their roster, the Stars also will use the offseason to reconcile what it means to be the first team in NHL history to reach three straight conference finals and not advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

“The examples are endless in this league,” DeBoer said. “You know, the Washington Capitals, a decade of knocking on the door. You know, on and on. It’s a really, really hard league to win in. And when you get down to the end of the final four here, it gets exponentially tougher.”