Wildlife photography competition announces 2026 winners and exhibition dates

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 winners were announced on Tuesday 13 October at a ceremony hosted by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. The competition, organised by the Natural History Museum in London, received more than 65,000 entries from 121 countries and territories. A panel of international experts judged the photos on creativity, originality, technical skill and storytelling. From all the entries, 100 images were chosen as finalists. An exhibition of the winning photographs opened at the Natural History Museum on 16 October and will run until 11 July 2027. The competition is supported by lead corporate sponsor Nuveen. It gives wildlife photographers from around the world a platform to share their work and raise awareness of nature and conservation.