Wednesday 28 August 2013

Our stunning natural world: Jaw-dropping images of gorilla with young and bear ...


  • The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition attracted 43,000 entrants from 96 countries across the globe

  • The judges’ favourite images will go on display at the Natural History Museum in London in October



By

Steve Nolan




PUBLISHED:


11:31, 28 August 2013




|

UPDATED:


12:01, 28 August 2013




Thrashing around in the water clutching a large fish between his teeth, this striking image of a brown bear catching its lunch stunningly captures both the beauty and ferocious power of the natural world.


The sockeye salmon tries to put up a fight but is no match for the bear with a splash of the fish’s blood standing out from the water as the giant sinks its teeth in.


Italian photographer Valter Bernardeschi’s beautiful shot taken in the waters of Lake Kuril Kamchactka in Russia is one of 100 pictures set to go on display as part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 award at the Natural History Museum in London.


Incredible: A brown bear emerges from the waters of Lake Kuril Kamchactka - Russia after having caught a large salmon. This stunning image was taken by Italian photographer Valter Bernardeschi


Incredible: A brown bear emerges from the waters of Lake Kuril Kamchactka – Russia after having caught a large salmon. This stunning image was taken by Italian photographer Valter Bernardeschi



Stunning: Taken by American Douglas Seifert, this image shows a dugong mingling with snorkelers in a shallow Egyptian bay where he feeds upon seagrass


Stunning: Taken by American Douglas Seifert, this image shows a dugong mingling with snorkelers in a shallow Egyptian bay where he feeds upon seagrass



Back to nature: Alejandro Prieto from Mexico has called this shot of a predatory crocodile preying on a green turtle in Costa Rica


Back to nature: Alejandro Prieto from Mexico has called this shot of a predatory crocodile preying on a green turtle in Costa Rica


An exhibition of the finalists from this year’s prestigious competition is to go on display next month, with judges releasing just a handful of the magnificent images that were entered this year as a sneak preview.


Now in its 49th year, the competition, ran by the museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine has this year attracted a staggering 43,000 entries from both amateur and professional photographers from 96 countries around the world.



As well as Mr Bernardeschi’s effort, the exhibition will also feature American photographer Douglas Seifert’s snapshot of a Dugong mingling with snorkelers in an Egyptian bay as he feeds on seagrass.


Just seven of the creatures remain on a 62 mile stretch of coastline and Douglas watched with fascination as the Dugong was harassed by snorklers until it eventually fled into the depths of the sea.


Alejandro Prieto saw his shot of a crocodile preying on a green turtle in Costa Rica commended by judges.


Commended: Etienne Francey noticed this tiny mouse snacking in the fields near his village in Switzerland


Commended: Etienne Francey noticed this tiny mouse snacking in the fields near his village in Switzerland



Up close: This stunning shot of lions getting a soaking in the rain at the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, was taken by American Michael Nichols


Up close: This stunning shot of lions getting a soaking in the rain at the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, was taken by American Michael Nichols


Co-existing: Primates and humans live alongside one another in this village in northern India in this image taken by Portuguese photographer Marcos Sobral


Co-existing: Primates and humans live alongside one another in this village in northern India in this image taken by Portuguese photographer Marcos Sobral



He had set out looking for bull sharks who he heard were circling near the beach. But instead he came across the predatory reptile and managed just one shot before it dragged the turtle off towards the sea.


Serene: Diana Webman took this picture of a gorilla and her twins in Rwanda


Serene: Diana Webman took this picture of a gorilla and her twins in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park



He said: ‘With a fast movement, the crocodile held the turtle by its flipper and then, with a flick of its jaws, grabbed the still-living reptile by its head.


‘I willed the crocodile to be still for a moment, while I struggled to keep the camera steady.’


A more serene picture of nature was captured by Diana Webman in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park when she took a beautiful image of a gorilla feeding her two young twins.


The silverback leader of the group had just chased the mother and her babies from a nettle patch, and while the mother protested she eventually moved on.


‘In this picture, she is still tense from the encounter’, says Diana, ‘and continues to glance across at him while she eats. Her twins, in the comfort of their mother’s strong arms, appear blissfully ignorant.’


The twins’ future, though, remains uncertain. The mountain gorilla is officially listed as critically endangered.


Entries to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition are submitted in a variety of categories each year, with three categories aimed at photographers aged under 18.


Thousands of pictures are then judged by industry experts and the overall winner is announced at a ceremony at the Kensington museum in October.


A book of the commended entries is then released and the exhibition tours the world.


The competition has gone from strength to strength since it was introduced back in 1964 – then it attracted just 600 entries in three categories.


The last winner of the contest to hail from the UK was Ben Osborne who took the crown in 2007 with his image Elephant Creation.


Canadian photographer Paul Nicklen’s image of bubble-jetting emperors won last year.


Tickets from the exhibition go on sale tomorrow with the pictures on show from October 18 until March 23.


Natural: This image of a set of parasol mushrooms was taken by Agorastos Papatsanis in Greece


Natural: This image of a set of parasol mushrooms was taken by Agorastos Papatsanis in Greece



Magnificent: Lukasz Bozycki took this photograph of a toad


Magnificent: Lukasz Bozycki took this photograph of a toad’s eye emerging from a pond in his native Poland














The comments below have not been moderated.



the blood in the picture of the bear and salmon would be eggs



baz

,


Scotland,

29/8/2013 00:20


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Absolutely brilliant photos, although some I find upsetting.


The little mouse, however……..



Anne

,


Thornton-Cleveleys, United Kingdom,

28/8/2013 22:48


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when we look closely we see how beautiful our world is wish we would treat it better



bomer

,


surrey,

28/8/2013 22:34


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That poor turtle.



amo

,


scotland, United Kingdom,

28/8/2013 22:25


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How can anyone dismiss the presence of a soul in these non human creatures? I see the most vivid auras about these beings and we are going to lose them all as we out compete them for resources.



Rammed Earth

,


Los Angeles, United Kingdom,

28/8/2013 22:09


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I admire the photographers that get these wonderful picture for us to enjoy!!!



Grace

,


tucson, United States,

28/8/2013 21:20


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Love these x



mimi

,


Ireland,

28/8/2013 21:14


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Stunning…absolutely stunning



Patricia

,


Anacortes, United States,

28/8/2013 20:41


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The photo of the little field mouse is MAGICAL. Well done!



Sheena

,


Englewood,

28/8/2013 20:28


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In the salmon photo, that’s not blood…those are eggs….



oldldh

,


Fairhope,

28/8/2013 20:18


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Our stunning natural world: Jaw-dropping images of gorilla with young and bear ...
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