Badger admiring Banksy-style image wins hearts in wildlife photo competition

In a heartwarming moment captured on camera, a badger was seen gazing up at a graffiti image of itself, and this delightful scene has won the prestigious People's Choice Award at the Natural History Museum's 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The photograph was taken by Ian Wood, a British photographer, on a quiet street in St Leonards-on-Sea, England. Ian dedicated nearly two years to photographing badgers, observing their behavior as they emerged from their burrows to search for food scraps left out for foxes. He had a creative idea to place graffiti of a badger on the wall and hoped to capture a badger walking underneath it. When he shared the photo, it resonated with many people, leading to its victory in the competition. Ian expressed that he sees a deeper message in his photograph, particularly regarding the controversial practice of badger culling, which has been implemented to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis. He referred to badger culling as 'a national disgrace' and stated that he would gladly trade his award for the government to revoke all existing badger culling licenses. This year, the competition saw an unprecedented number of votes, with 76,000 cast by wildlife photography enthusiasts from around the globe. Alongside Ian's winning image, four other finalists received high commendations for their remarkable photographs. All five images will be showcased online and at the Natural History Museum in London until June 29. Among the other nominated images was a striking photograph by David Northall, featuring a honey badger standing behind a porcupine, with numerous porcupine quills protruding from its body. Another finalist, Michel d'Oultremont, captured a stoat in a snowy field, its white winter coat blending seamlessly with the snow. Michel had been on a quest to photograph stoats in the snow for years and finally succeeded when a curious stoat emerged from its snowy den. Jess Findlay's stunning shot of a barn owl flying out of an old barn in Canada showcased the beauty of nature. He spent several nights observing the owl to learn its habits and set up a trigger to capture the moment perfectly on the tenth night. Francisco Negroni's breathtaking photograph of the Villarrica volcano in Chile illuminated the night sky with a fiery red glow, showcasing the beauty of nature's power. He frequently visits the volcano to monitor its activity, and on this occasion, he captured the intense glow of the erupting lava lighting up the sky in a surreal display. The other nominated images were equally impressive. British-Canadian photographer Mark Williams documented a beluga whale exfoliating its skin in the Arctic, where hundreds of these whales gather in safe waters to socialize. Sue Flood captured a Weddell seal resting on an ice floe in Antarctica, while American photographer Aaron Baggenstos photographed a puma standing tall in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park. His image highlighted the positive impact of conservation efforts in reducing conflicts with local sheep farmers. Indian photographer Arvind Ramamurthy captured a moment of an Indian wolf pack pausing mid-play in Bhigwan, showcasing the resilience of these predators as their habitat shrinks. Hungarian photographer Bence Máté spent 27 days in a hide to capture a fleeting moment of a European roller ambushing a little owl. Australian photographer Brad Leue documented floodwaters surging into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in Australia, capturing a rare natural event from a helicopter. Italian photographer Carlo D'Aurizio discovered a surreal scene of dead butterflies floating in a stream in Italy, leaving him puzzled about the cause of their demise. Other photographers also showcased their incredible work. American photographer Devon Pradhuman captured four grey wolves crossing a snowy aspen grove in Yellowstone, while German photographer Christian Brinkmann silhouetted a Eurasian blackbird against the vibrant lights of a fairground. Norwegian photographer Erlend Haarberg showed a playful polar bear cub attempting to catch a northern fulmar in the waters of Svalbard. Czech photographer Ivan Ivanek captured a rare moment between red-shanked douc langurs in Vietnam, highlighting the threats these critically endangered primates face. Portuguese photographer Jose Fragozo documented a cheetah cub hissing in distress, a victim of illegal wildlife trafficking, before being rescued. American photographer Michael Forsberg captured a disguised biologist approaching an endangered whooping crane to check its health. Israeli photographer Noam Kortler photographed a decorator crab perched on a sea squirt in Komodo, while American photographer Nora Milligan captured a thoughtful moment of a chimpanzee observing its family. Polish photographer Piotr Naskrecki documented a rare four-toed sengi foraging in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. French photographer Samuel Bloch captured a northern giant petrel nesting in a rātā tree forest on Enderby Island, New Zealand. American photographer Savannah Rose documented a beaver dramatically smacking its tail in Jackson, Wyoming, a defensive behavior to warn family members of newcomers. French photographer Vincent Premel photographed a Surinam golden-eyed tree frog calling for a mate, while South African photographer Willie Burger van Schalkwyk captured a giant ground gecko standing up to a pale chanting goshawk. These talented photographers have shared their love for wildlife through their stunning images, showcasing the beauty and challenges faced by animals in their natural habitats.