Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 winners on show at Auckland Museum

Life on the Edge - a clash between two Nubian ibex in Israel's Zin Desert won the animals in their environment category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023. Photo / Amit Eshel, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the longest-running and one of the most prestigious photography competitions globally with the winners across 16 categories selected from 50,000 entries hailing from 95 countries.

From just 361 entries to the Animals Magazine competition in 1965, the contest has blossomed to be the major showcase for wildlife and environmental photography in the world today.

Portfolio award winner and Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023: The Ancient Mariner - a tri-spine horseshoe crab moves over the mud at Pangatalan Island, Palawan, in the Philippines. Photo / Laurent Ballesta, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The London Natural History Museum became involved in 1984 with interest and entries growing in number each year.

Winners and runners-up in this year’s contest were announced in October, kicking off a global tour of all the shortlisted images.

The exhibition has now reached Tāmaki Makaurau and opens at the Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum today.

Image 1 of 15: Coral connections by Alex Mustard of the UK shot in Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

The competition aims to enhance the prestige of wildlife photography and create public interest in conservation and, hopefully, bring benefits to the animals themselves.

The images of nature and the photojournalism featured in the awards have helped tell the stories of the natural world, inspiring people to care for the future of a range of creatures.

Scientists and researchers also use the images to gain new insights into animal behaviour and the challenges they face in a fight for everyday survival.

Photojournalist story award winner: The Unprotected - contestants line up to have their bobcats weighed in the March 2022 West Texas Big Bobcat Contest, Texas, US. Photo / Karine Aigner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

By sharing these images and helping people to build a connection with some of the most endangered species, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has helped to foster a better understanding of the complexity and importance of the natural world.

Amateur and professional entries for the competition are kept anonymous and evaluated by judges on their own merits.

Oceans: The bigger picture winner: Last Gasp - the final moments of a beached orca at Cadzand-Bad in Zeeland, the Netherlands. Photo / Lennart Verheuvel, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The lack of bias has ensured consistent encouragement for up-and-coming photographers and helped launch the careers of many famous names in the world of photography today.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on until April 2024 at the Auaha Atea Nui special exhibition hall in the Auckland Museum.

See more at https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/visit/exhibitions/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2023