The Natural History Museum, London, has announced the winners of this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year, with the top prize going to Canadian marine conservation photojournalist Shane Gross.
Gross's photo, The Swarm of Life, which shows a swarm of tadpoles swimming through lily pads, was picked from a record-breaking 59,228 entries from 117 countries as the main winner of the annual competition, now in its 60th year.
The conservationist captured the photo while snorkelling for several hours in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The western toad tadpoles are classed as near threatened due to habitat destruction, according to the museum.
"The jury was captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles," said Kathy Moran, chairwoman of the jury. "We were equally excited by the addition of a new species to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year archive.
"Over the last few years, the competition has highlighted environments and species that are often overlooked, yet provoke the same wonder and delight when shared as the more typically photographed wildlife and wild places."
Incidentally, last year's winning photo was also an underwater image, which showed a tri-spine horseshoe crab gliding through the protected waters of Pangatalan Island, Philippines, accompanied by three golden trevally fish.
French underwater photographer and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta became only the second person in the history of the competition to have won the prize twice, after she won in 2021.
The winner of this year's Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition was Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, 17, from Germany, for a close-up shot of a tiny springtail bug next to a slime mould.
Called Life Under Dead Wood, Tinker-Tsavalas used a technique called focus stacking, which combines 36 images each with a different area in focus, to capture the moment.
"A photographer attempting to capture this moment not only brings great skill, but incredible attention to detail, patience and perseverance," said Moran. "To see a macro image of two species photographed on the forest floor, with such skill, is exceptional."
Category winners were also awarded for a range of subjects, such as animal portraits, animals in their environment, behaviour of mammals, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and invertebrates, underwater and urban wildlife, as well as three age categories for the young wildlife photographer competition.
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the competition introduced an "impact award" for both the adult and young photographer categories, for pictures recognising a conservation success that shows hope and/or positive change.
The Young Impact Award was given to Liwia Pawlowska from Poland, for her shot of a common whitethroat as part of a bird ringing project to aid conservation.
The Adult Impact Award was won by Australian photographer Jannico Kelk for a picture of a greater bilby, or ninu, a species brought close to extinction through predation by introduced foxes and cats, in a fenced reserve that eradicates the threat of predators.
"Wildlife Photographer of the Year's longevity is a testament to the vital importance and growing appreciation of our natural world," said Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, London.
"We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year's portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale."
The announcement of the winners will coincide with the opening of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London on Friday.
