Tech & Innovation

A stunning photo of two foxes tells a scary story about climate change

A tale of two foxes. Winner: Wildlife Photographer of the Year
A tale of two foxes. Winner: Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Image: Don Gutoski/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
By
Kate Groetzinger
We may earn a commission from links on this page.

By capturing their environment with a trained eye, the top wildlife photographers of the year remind us how precarious natural ecosystems really are.

Don Gutoski won this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, with the image “Tale of two foxes,” taken in Cape Churchill, Canada. The prize-winning photo is “a stark example of climate change, with red foxes encroaching on Arctic fox territory,” explained jury member Kathy Moran, National Geographic magazine’s senior editor for natural history projects, in the press release.

The photography competition is held annually by London’s Natural History Museum, where photos will be on display  beginning October 16. Here are a few more favorites from among category winners and finalists:

Flight of the scarlet ibis. Winner: Young Wildlife Photographers, 15–17 years old
Flight of the scarlet ibis. Winner: Young Wildlife Photographers, 15–17 years old
Image: Jonathan Jagot/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
A whale of a mouthful. Winner: Under Water
A whale of a mouthful. Winner: Under Water
Image: Michael AW/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
Still life. Winner: Amphibians and Reptiles
Still life. Winner: Amphibians and Reptiles
Image: Edwin Giesbers/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
The art of algae. Winner: From the Sky
The art of algae. Winner: From the Sky
Image: Pere Soler/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
Broken cats. Winner: The Wildlife Photojournalist Award, single image
Broken cats. Winner: The Wildlife Photojournalist Award, single image
Image: Britta Jaschinski/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
The shark surfer. Finalist: Photojournalism Award, single image
The shark surfer. Finalist: Photojournalism Award, single image
Image: Thomas P Peschak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
Snow hare. Finalist: Mammals
Snow hare. Finalist: Mammals
Image: Rosamund Macfarlane/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
Great egret awakening. Finalist: Birds
Great egret awakening. Finalist: Birds
Image: Zsolt Kudich/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
To drink or not. Finalist: 10 Years and Under
To drink or not. Finalist: 10 Years and Under
Image: Carlos Perez Naval/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
Komodo judo. Finalist: Amphibians & Reptiles
Komodo judo. Finalist: Amphibians & Reptiles
Image: Andrey Gudkov/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015