Wildlife photographer of the year 2024 – preview

Selected from almost 60,000 entries from 117 countries and territories, the winners of the 60th competition will be announced on 8 October. The 100 winning images will be on display at the Natural History Museum in London from 11 October [This article’s headline was amended on 29 August 2024 as an earlier version referred to the young wildlife photographer of the year.]

Museum of Leaving the Nest shows two tawny owlets in a Munich park. Take by Sasha Jumanca from Germany/Romania, it was highly commended in the 10 and under section of the competition

Photograph: Sasha Jumanca/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Centre of Attention, Georgina Steytler’s image of male Dawson’s burrowing bees vying for access to a female near Carnarvon, Western Australia, was highly commended in the behaviour: invertebrates section

Photograph: Georgina Steytler/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Twist and Jump, an image of a leaping stoat in Athose, eastern France, was taken by Jose Manuel Grandio from Spain and was highly commended in the behaviour: mammals section

Photograph: Jose Manuel Grandio/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Hooked, an imaged of the bycatch of a requiem shark in the south Atlantic by Tommy Trenchard from South Africa, was highly commended in the oceans: the bigger picture section

Photograph: Tommy Trenchard/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

In the Spotlight by Shreyovi Mehta from India, capturing two Indian peafowl at Keoladeo national park, Rajasthan, was runner-up in the 10 and under section

Photograph: Shreyovi Mehta/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Deadly Bite, taken by Ian Ford from the UK, captures a jaguar biting the back of a caiman’s neck in the Pantanal of Brazil. The shot was highly commended in the behaviour: mammals section

Photograph: Ian Ford/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Ziggy Spider by Lam Soon Tak from Malaysia, showing a coloured David Bowie spider carrying an egg sac in the Cameron Highlands of Pahang, was was highly commended in the behaviour: invertebrates section

Photograph: Lam Soon Tak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Moonlight Hunter, an image of a Pallas’s cat in Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia, was taken by Xingchao Zhu from China and was highly commended in the behaviour: mammals section

Photograph: Xingchao Zhu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Strength in Numbers by Theo Bosboom from the Netherlands shows how mussels bind together to avoid being washed away from the shoreline in Praia da Ursa, Sintra, Portugal. The image was highly commended in the animals in their environment section

Photograph: Theo Bosboom/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Going with the Floe by Tamara Stubbs from the UK shows crabeater seals taking a nap among the sea ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. It was highly commended in the animals in their environment section

Photograph: Tamara Stubbs/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Precious Rocks by Samual Stone from UK shows a jackdaw bringing stones to its nest in Bushy Park, London. The image was was highly commended in the behaviour: birds section

Photograph: Samual Stone/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

The Last Resting Place by Randy Robbins from the US captures the frosted form of a dead deer on the forest floor near Susanville, California. It was highly commended in the natural artistry section

Photograph: Randy Robbins/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

The Disappearing Ice Cap by Thomas Vijayan from Canada shows Bråsvellbreen, a glacier in Svalbard, Norway. It was highly commended in the oceans: the bigger picture section

Photograph: Thomas Vijayan/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA

Stormy Scene by William Fortescue from the UK shows mating lions, and was highly commended in the behaviour: mammals section

Photograph: William Fortescue/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA