‘An otherworldly beauty’: Wildlife Photographer of the Year crowns the best animal images of 2021
A shot of a rare underwater spawning that only takes place around a full moon once a year has been named as the winner of this year’s Wildlife Photographer Of The Year competition.
Judges said French underwater photographer and biologist Laurent Ballesta’s image, entitled Creation, has an “otherworldly beauty” and reveals a “fleeting moment of fascinating animal behaviour” that very few people have ever seen.
It has been selected as the winner of the Natural History Museum’s prestigious annual competition, now in its 57th year, from more than 50,000 entries from 95 countries.
Creation by Laurent Ballesta – Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2021 winner
Ballesta’s photograph captures camouflage groupers darting away from a milky cloud of eggs and sperm in Fakarava, French Polynesia. It was the result of returning to the lagoon every year for five years, diving day and night so as not to miss the annual spawning.
Writer and editor Rosamund Kidman Cox, chair of the judging panel, described the image as “surprising, energetic and intriguing” with “an otherworldly beauty”.
She added: “It also captures a magical moment – a truly explosive creation of life – leaving the tail-end of the exodus of eggs hanging for a moment like a symbolic question mark.”
Camouflage groupers are a vulnerable species threatened by overfishing, but in this area they are protected within a special biosphere reserve.
Natural History Museum director Dr Doug Gurr described Ballesta’s image as a “compelling reminder of what we stand to lose if we do not address humanity’s impact on our planet”, and said that “the protection provided to this endangered species by the biosphere reserve highlights the positive difference we can make”.
Dome Home, by Vidyun R Hebba – Young Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2021 winner
Elsewhere, 10-year old Vidyun R Hebbar was awarded the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 award for Dome Home, a colourful image of a tent spider pictured near his home in the city of Bengaluru, in India, as a tuk-tuk passes by in the background.
Dr Natalie Cooper, a Natural History Museum researcher, said it was “a great reminder to look more closely at the small animals we live with every day, and to take your camera with you everywhere”.
The two overall winners were selected from 19 category winners, showcasing everything from stunning animal portraits to interesting behaviour, as well as photojournalism images and portfolios. Here are the 17 other category winners.
Grizzly Leftovers by Zack Clothier – Animals In Their Environment winner
US photographer Zack Clothier decided the remains of a bull elk in Montana provided the perfect spot to set up a camera trap to capture any interested animals passing by. But melted snow and fallen trees meant a challenging journey back to the scene, and when the photographer did return his set-up had been ruined. However, this surprising shot of a grizzly bear turned out to be his last frame.
Reflection by Majed Ali – Animal Portrait winner, and Bedazzled by Alex Mustard – Natural Artistry winner
Majed Ali, from Kuwait, trekked for hours to find Kibande, an almost-40-year-old mountain gorilla, but it was worth it to get this snap of the ape closing its eyes in the rain, seemingly enjoying the shower. Mountain gorillas are found at altitudes of over 1,400 metres in two isolated populations – at the Virunga volcanoes in Rwanda and in Bwindi, Uganda – and are endangered due to habitat loss, disease, poaching and disruption caused by human activity.
UK photographer Alex Mustard’s image is of a juvenile ghost pipefish hiding among the arms of a feather star – its loud colours signify that it had not long landed on the reef; its colour pattern would later have changed, enabling it to blend in.
Spinning The Cradle by Gil Wizen – Behaviour: Invertebrates winner
Gil Wizen (Israel/ Canada) discovered this fishing spider under some loose bark in a forest near his home in southern Ontario, and managed to capture it stretching out silk to weave into its egg sac. “The action of the spinnerets reminded me of the movement of human fingers when weaving,” Wizen said.
The Intimate Touch by Shane Kalyn – Behaviour: Birds winner
This picture by Canadian photographer Shane Kalyn shows a raven courtship display captured in midwinter, the start of their breeding season. Lying on the frozen ground, he watched as the couple exchanged gifts – moss, twigs and small stones – and preened and serenaded each other before coming together for the perfect picture.
Head To Head by Stefano Unterthiner – Behaviour: Animals winner
Stefano Unterthiner, from Italy, followed these Svalbard reindeer during rutting season and caught these two battling for control of a harem, clashing antlers until the dominant male chased his rival away. Reindeer populations in the Arctic are affected by climate change, as increased rainfall can freeze on the ground and prevent access to plants that would otherwise sit under soft snow.
Where The Giant Newts Breed by Joao Rodrigues – Behaviour: Amphibians and Reptiles winner
Joao Rodrigues, from Portugal, came across a pair of courting sharp-ribbed salamanders in a flooded forest – his first chance in five years to dive into the lake, which only emerges in winters of exceptionally heavy rainfall. He said he had a split second to adjust his camera settings and capture the moment before the newts swam away.
Nursery Meltdown by Jennifer Hayes – Oceans: The Bigger Picture winner
Following a storm, it took hours of searching by helicopter for US photographer Jennifer Hayes to find this fractured sea ice used as a birthing platform by harp seals. “It was a pulse of life that took your breath away,” she said of her image. Every autumn, harp seals migrate south from the Arctic to their breeding grounds, delaying births until the sea ice forms. But they depend on the ice – which means that future population numbers are likely to be affected by climate change.
Rich Reflections by Justin Gilligan – Plants And Fungi winner
Justin Gilligan, from Australia, created the reflection of a marine ranger among the seaweed for this striking photograph, taken at the world’s southernmost tropical reef. He said he wanted to show how careful human management helps preserve a vibrant seaweed jungle – and had just 40 minutes in which tide conditions were right to get his image.
The Spider Room by Gil Wizen – Urban Wildlife winner
A second winning spider shot for Wizen, who found this venomous Brazilian wandering spider hiding under his bed after noticing tiny spiders all over the room. Yikes. Rather than run away, he grabbed his camera to capture what is one of the world’s most venomous spiders, which is the size of a human hand.
Road To Ruin by Javier Lafuente – Wetlands: The Bigger Picture winner
Using a drone, Javier Lafuente, from Spain, captures the stark line of a road slicing through a wetland landscape, which is home to more than a hundred species of birds.
Elephant In The Room by Adam Oswell – Photojournalism winner
Adam Oswell, from Australia, said he was disturbed by this scene of zoo visitors watching a young elephant perform under water. Elephant tourism has increased across Asia and in Thailand there are now said to be more elephants in captivity than in the wild.
The Healing Touch by Brent Stirton – Photojournalist Story winner
Brent Stirton, from South Africa, profiled a rehabilitation centre caring for chimpanzees orphaned by the bushmeat trade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This image shows the director of the centre sitting with a newly rescued chimp she is slowly introducing to the others.
Cool Time by Martin Gregus – Rising Star Portfolio winner
This image by Martin Gregus (Canada/Slovakia) shows two female polar bears cooling off and playing in shallow waters around Hudson Bay in Canada. Captured with a drone, he said he felt the heart shape symbolises the apparent affection between the two animals and “the love we as people owe to the natural world”.
Face-Off by Angel Fitor – Portfolio Award winner
These cichlid fish might look like they’re having a kiss, but they’re actually fighting over a snail shell. Angel Fitor, from Spain, captured the pair in Lake Tanganyika, which is spread across Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Zambia in Africa. Fitor monitored the lake bed for three weeks – and while this struggle was over in seconds, it was just long enough to get a winning shot.
Sunflower Songbird by Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco – 11-14 Years winner
Enjoying itself sitting in the sunflowers on a warm afternoon is a melodious warbler bird. Andres Luis Dominguez Blanco, from Spain, managed to shoot “the king of its territory” from his hide set up in his father’s car.
High-Flying Jay by Lasse Kurkela – 15-17 Years winner
Lasse Kurkela (Finland) watches a Siber
Lasse Kurkela, from Finland, used pieces of cheese to get Siberian jays accustomed to his remotely controlled camera and to encourage them to follow a particular flight path so he could get the exact shot he wanted – one of the birds high in the sky, tiny against the forest trees.
Entertainment
The Kessler twins, German dance stars in the 50s and 60s, die in ‘joint suicide’, police say
The Kessler Twins, German sisters famous across Europe for their singing and dancing, have died together through assisted means, local police have said.
Content warning: this article contains references to suicide
Munich officers said in a statement on Tuesday that Alice and Ellen Kessler had died by “joint suicide” at their shared home in Grunwald. They were 89.
The German Society for Humane Dying, a group in support of assisted dying, told Sky’s US partner network NBC News that the sisters had “been considering this option for some time”.
It added they had been members for more than a year and that “a lawyer and a doctor conducted preliminary discussions with them”, and said: “People who choose this option in Germany must be absolutely clear-headed, meaning free and responsible.
“The decision must be thoughtful and consistent, meaning made over a long period of time and not impulsive.”
In an interview last year with the Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera, the sisters said they wished to die together on the same day.
Read more: Why is assisted dying so controversial – and where is it already legal?
Alice and Ellen Kessler on stage in Stuttgart on 21 November 2006. File pic: AP
A ban on assisted dying in Germany was overturned by the country’s federal court in 2020.
While the practice is not explicitly permitted, judges said at the time the previous law outlawing it infringed on constitutional rights.
Alice and Ellen were born in 1936 and trained as ballet dancers in their youth. They began their entertainment careers in the 1950s after their family fled from East Germany to West Germany.
Professionally known as The Kessler Twins, they were then discovered by the director of the Lido cabaret theatre in Paris in 1955, launching their international career.
In 1959, the sisters also represented a now-unified Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Cannes, France.
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Throughout the 1960s, Alice and Ellen toured the world, moved to Rome, and performed with singers Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra and Harry Belafonte.
Both sisters continued to perform together into later life, appearing on stage in a musical at 80 years old.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.
In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
Entertainment
Anna Maxwell Martin: Actor says primary school tests ‘devastating’ for children with special educational needs and disabilities
Actor Anna Maxwell Martin and a group of parents have warned that primary school tests have “devastating effects” for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
They have written an open letter to the government asking ministers to consider reforming SATs (standard assessment tests) to accommodate the youngsters’ needs.
The 22 parent groups say the system is damaging for children with SEND and they want to see a more inclusive approach which incorporates the needs of the individual child.
The letter to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the current system “actively harms” children with SEND, leaving them often disengaged from school as they move on to secondary school.
Maxwell Martin, who has starred in TV comedy Motherland and police drama Line Of Duty, said: “The government needs to look much harder at how to make things better for children in schools, particularly children with SEND.
“This is a systemic failing within our assessment system, not the fault of any individual teacher or headteacher.”
What has research found?
Research by the SEND parent group said only 24% of SEND children passed the SATs, and 67% of SEND children did not want to attend school because of them.
Half of the parents questioned also said their child’s self-esteem was damaged, and they believed SATs would have a lasting negative impact.
File pic: iStock
‘Change the system’
The letter to Ms Phillipson said: “Forcing children into a system that actively harms them is not the answer. Changing the system so that our children want to attend is.”
But some think SATs do not serve any child.
Lee Parkinson MBE, a primary school teacher and education consultant from Manchester, said SATs are a negative process for all children, not just children with SEND.
He told Sky News: “SATs don’t serve any child, let alone those with SEND. They were never designed to support learning.”
He called the tests a “blunt accountability tool, a stick to beat schools with, rather than something that helps teachers understand children”.
Primary school teacher Lee Parkinson
‘Speed rewarded over understanding’
Mr Parkinson claimed SATs were “built to catch pupils out. They reward speed over understanding and memorisation over genuine thinking”.
“That alone disadvantages huge numbers of children, but for pupils with SEND the gap becomes a chasm. Processing speed, anxiety, sensory needs, working memory difficulties, language disorders… none of these are accounted for in a system that measures every child by the same stopwatch and mark scheme.”
Mr Parkinson added: “For many SEND pupils, success in school looks like communication gains, emotional regulation, confidence, independence and steady academic growth in a way that matches their needs.
“SATs don’t measure any of that. Instead, they label, limit and distort the reality of what progress actually looks like for the children who need thoughtful, personalised provision the most.”
The open letter also said children with SEND who failed SATs “spend their entire year 6 convinced they are not clever enough”.
Read more:
How children with SEND from poorer families left behind
MPs want overhaul of school support for special needs pupils
‘Urgent need for rethink’
Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said there is an “urgent need” for the government to rethink the value of SATs.
“If statutory tests are here to stay, they must be designed to be accessible for the vast majority of pupils, they should recognise the attainment and progress of all children, and they should not damage children’s confidence or cause distress,” she said.
What does the government say?
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Primary tests and assessments play a vital role in helping schools ensure every pupil can achieve and thrive, while also identifying those who need additional support.”
“The government’s independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review panel shaped key recommendations aimed at improving our national curriculum, and included key insights from SEND experts.
“We are actively working with parents and experts to improve support for children with SEND, including through more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating and investing £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools.”
Entertainment
Anthony Joshua ‘about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face’ in Netflix boxing match
Boxer Anthony Joshua is set to mark his comeback to the ring with a surprise heavyweight bout against Jake Paul in Miami.
The former world heavyweight champion and YouTuber-turned-boxer will face off in a match consisting of eight three-minute rounds, with both boxers using 10oz gloves.
The 36-year-old hasn’t fought since September 2024, when he suffered a shock loss to British compatriot Daniel Dubois at Wembley in the fifth round of their IBF world heavyweight title fight.
Anthony Joshua. File pic: Reuters
Joshua, who goes in with a record of 28 wins and four losses, promised the American “no mercy” ahead of his comeback.
“I took some time out, and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record whilst keeping cool, calm and collected,” he said.
“Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
If Jake Paul wins, he’ll be in the running for a title, according to his manager, Nakisa Bidarian, chief executive of Most Valuable Promotions.
Jake Paul. File pic: Reuters
He said: “For Jake it’s doing the impossible, silencing the doubters and putting himself in a position to be in conversation for a belt, and he gets that if he beats Anthony Joshua.
“And for Joshua it’s pretty simple: he’s been out for quite a bit of time, he comes back and does one of the biggest events in the world, and if he knocks out Jake Paul he will be idolised by many within boxing.”
He continued: “What we’ve accomplished in four years with Jake, with no amateur background, with no Olympic pedigree, makes everyone kind of take a step back and say, ‘What is going on here? How is this possible?’
“It angers people in boxing that we can come in and get as much attention and notoriety as we have, as quickly as we have.”
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‘Joshua could inflict horrendous damage on Paul’
Paul was due to face Gervonta Davis this month, but the bout was cancelled after a civil lawsuit was filed against the WBA lightweight champion.
The 28-year-old, who has a 12-1 record, last fought at heavyweight when he beat Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in November last year, in what was the then 58-year-old’s first fight in 19 years, before following that up in June with another unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Read more from Sky News:
Anthony Joshua could return to ring to fight ex-YouTuber
Tyson reveals he ‘almost died’ ahead of fight with Paul
Paul labelled the fight in Miami as “Judgement Day.”
“A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title.
“To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, December 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
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