Unseen Moments: 76 Stunning Wildlife Photos That Captivated the NPOTY People’s Choice Over the Years

The very first thing that stood out when finding this Amazon Scarlet Snake (Pseudoboa coronata) was its bright red coloration, setting it apart from the dark leaf litter. I got low, trying to frame the snake for some up-close portraits. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary; I was really focusing on capturing the beautiful red and black contrast. It wasn’t until some minutes later that I noticed something off with the snake’s eye. It was so small that I couldn’t really tell what was going on. After going through my previous images, I could see that several mites were wedged between the snake’s eye and scales. I immediately looked back at the snake and saw the mites moving. That was the moment when this itching sight was captured. This took place a couple of kilometers off the Mazan River located in Iquitos, Peru.

In the home of wildlife carer and founder of Bunurong Wildlife Carer (Inverloch, Victoria, Australia), an anesthetized Eastern Grey kangaroo joey (Macropus giganteus) lies on the floor ready to be examined for broken bones and other injuries.

Anaesthetised by Wildlife Victoria’s Travelling Veterinary team, named Donald, he came into care when he was bounced out of his mother’s pouch as she was chased by a dog off-lead.

Despite some grazes and bruising from hitting the hard road surface, after the X-ray, Donald was cleared of any injury. At the time of taking this photo, Donald was only a few Kgs in weight and remained with Bunurong Wildlife Care until he had steady weight gain and then was buddied with another joey for same species comfort. Both were then relocated to another carer to continue their rehabilitation journey.

This image forms part of a larger series I decided to create to show the wonderful and important work of wildlife rescuers, carers, and Wildlife Victoria’s Travelling Veterinary team: A team that provides free veterinary support to volunteer wildlife rehabilitators in Victoria, as well as a rapid response during major emergencies.

In 2016 I was commissioned by the Born Free Foundation to document a cross-section of zoos in Europe. I encountered this Rothschild’s giraffe in Germany, owned by a company that seemed to be part zoo, part circus. Their event space was set up next to an Ikea, and I saw that I could photograph one of the giraffes with my lens pointing up towards him or her, with the Ikea sign in the background. I knew that this would be a good way of showing the absurdity of keeping wild animals where they do not belong.

It can be difficult to convey the life of a wild animal in captivity through a photograph. There is so much that the photo cannot reveal. Was the animal wild-caught and transported from overseas? Were they taken from their families? Did any friends or family members die in the process? Were they born in captivity, and have they been sold between zoos and circuses? Have they ever had enough room to run? Do they wish they could choose other foods to eat? Are they happy, or lonely?

This image became one of the many in my book about zoos and aquaria, called Captive, which was published in 2017.

The weather forecast predicted a windy day, and my friend knows a place where a young seal had been seen. It was on the coastline of the Netherlands.

The image was taken at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India. The park is considered one of the best in India for observing and photographing both resident and migratory bird species.

I have been visiting this park for the last 33 years, always making two trips each winter to photograph the migratory birds. The parakeets are resident birds of the park, and I’ve often observed conflicts between these birds and reptiles. The monitor lizards frequently invade the parakeet nesting sites, and on this occasion, a pair of parakeets managed to call in other parakeets. Together, they attacked the lizard.

In January of this year, I was fortunate to witness this dramatic scene for nearly 45 minutes, capturing some incredible behavioral shots of the species. It was truly a dream shot for me.

Emerging from a day-long slumber, a youthful leopard awakens atop a majestic Mashatu tree. As it descends, the leopard seamlessly melds with the tree’s sinuous roots, almost blending into the landscape from a distance. The beauty of the scene lies in how effortlessly the leopard integrates with the tree’s base, appearing as an extension of the intricate, winding roots. Its sleek form gracefully merges with the organic pattern of the roots, creating a mesmerizing camouflage that makes the majestic creature nearly imperceptible against the natural backdrop. The harmonious blend of the leopard’s coat and the tree’s roots exemplifies the seamless unity between the animal and its environment—an exquisite display of nature’s artistry and the innate ability of creatures to adapt and merge with their surroundings.

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