A photograph 10 years in the making has beaten out almost 43,000 other entries from across 96 countries to claim a prestigious prize.
South African photographer Greg du Toit has been named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 for his image Essence of elephants, a mysterious portrait of African elephants in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana.
Du Toit said he had spent 10 years hunting for a perfect shot of a herd, and preparation met luck to help him finally succeed. "My goal was to throw caution to the wind ... this image hints at the special energy I feel when I am with elephants."
Udayan Rao Pawar, 14, has been named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 for Mother's little headful, a shot of gharial crocodiles on the banks of the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, India.
The competition is co-owned by the Natural History Museum, London, and BBC Worldwide.
