Incredible winning images from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 - CNN

These are the winning images for Wildlife Photographers of the Year 2026From thriving fungi to grieving elephants, these are the winners of the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. The photographs are being exhibited at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, U. K. Published: October 15, 2026 at 2:02p.m. EDTImage 0 of 20

Federico Veronesi received the top honor of the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his poignant black-and-white image of a female elephant carrying her deceased calf. The portrait represents a rare insight into animals’ habits we have yet to fully understand and demonstrates the power of timing and persistence in photography. Veronesi had been tracking elephants in the Huab River Valley of Namibia when he encountered some unusual drag marks on the earth. He eventually caught up with the family, and the adult emerged with the calf’s leg wedged between her trunk and tusk. “Behaviours centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalisations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased,” a statement says. “Some researchers suggest these behaviours could indicate an elephant’s journey to understanding death, while others interpret these actions as possible displays of grief.”

ScienceItalian photographer Federico Veronesi's "heartbreakingly poignant" photo of a mother elephant carrying her dead calf has won this year's top Wildlife Photographer of the Year award. See a selection of the other winning photos here. Youth award goes to photo of hard-working dung beetleEmily Chung · CBC News · Posted: Oct 14, 2026 1:54 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 15Listen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.(Federico Veronesi/Wildlife Photographer of the Year)An Italian photographer's "heartbreakingly poignant" photo of a mother elephant carrying her dead calf has won this year's top Wildlife Photographer of the Year award. Federico Veronesi captured "The Aftermath" while tracking elephants in the Huab River Valley in Namibia. He noticed unusual drag marks in the sand of the dry riverbed. When he caught up to a family of elephants, he saw an adult female with a calf's leg wedged between her tusk and trunk.

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