Elephant Photograph Wins the Top Prize at the “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” Competition

The latest winners of the famous international “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” competition, organized annually by the Natural History Museum in London, have been announced.

This year’s competition set a major record for participation, receiving more than 65,000 entries from 121 countries around the world.

One of the main requirements of the photo competition is to preserve the natural and authentic character of the image. Since 2024, organizers have not accepted images created with the help of artificial intelligence.

It is also strictly forbidden to add extra elements to photographs or remove objects using photo-editing software. Finalists are required to submit the original RAW files of their images to the judges.

The top prize went to Italian photographer Federico Veronesi for his work titled “Aftermath.”

While tracking elephant herds in the dry bed of Namibia’s Huab River, the photographer noticed unusual tracks in the sand. Following them, he came across an extremely moving scene.

At the center of the photograph is a mother elephant carrying her dead calf across the desert, holding it with her trunk and between her tusks.

According to scientists, elephants show significant changes in behavior when they lose close companions. They touch the bodies and bones of dead elephants, stay near them, and protect them from other animals.

They also make distinctive mourning sounds and sometimes carry the bodies of their dead calves over long distances.