Natural History Museum names 24 People’s Choice finalists
London’s Natural History Museum reveals 24 Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 People’s Choice finalists. Public voting is open worldwide.
This year’s highlights include images that span a wide range of emotions — from the striking contrast of vivid flamingos set against high-voltage power lines, to a tiny crab hitching a ride on a jellyfish, and a tender moment of a baby sloth in its mother’s embrace.
The museum said an international panel of experts — including photographers, wildlife specialists, conservationists and scientists — reviewed 60,636 submissions from 113 countries, selecting just 24 images for the People’s Choice shortlist, with the winner determined primarily by public votes.
Douglas Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said this year’s selected images are exceptional — revealing remarkable animal behaviour and using photography as a powerful voice to tell compelling stories.
Beyond light-hearted wildlife moments, the gallery also encourages wider reflection on the impact humans are having on the planet.
Examples include a photograph documenting a huge pile of animal traps seized by rangers in Uganda, and an image from a wildlife rescue centre in South Africa showing an orphaned pangolin curled up under a blanket after its mother was killed by poachers.
Public voting is now open online and at the exhibition in London.
Voting closes at 14:00 GMT on 18 March 2026, and the winner — along with four runners-up — will be announced on 25 March.
