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For those who turn their lenses toward nature, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest is among the most prestigious awards—it’s been referred to as the “Oscars of wildlife photography.”

Now in its 60th year, the competition drew in nearly 60,000 submissions from 117 countries and territories around the globe for its 2024 contest. While the winners have yet to be announced, the Natural History Museum in London, which develops and produces the competition, recently released a collection of highly commended images that offer a sneak peak of what’s to come.

From a leaping stoat to a baby manatee and a frost-covered deer, the images honored in this year’s contest reveal both tender and tense moments in nature.

“In this selection, you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues,” says Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel, in a statement. “These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world—the beauty and the challenges. It is a powerful selection with which to kickstart a milestone anniversary.”

One hundred photographs from this year’s competition will go on display at the museum beginning October 11. To recognize six decades of the photography contest, the exhibition will also include a timeline of key moments in its history.

Below, take a look at 13 highly commended images that set the stage for the upcoming exhibition and offer a glimpse into wondrous animal behaviors and the often strained relationship between humans and nature.

Going with the Floe by Tamara Stubbs

While on a nine-week expedition in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, photographer Tamara Stubbs of the United Kingdom spotted these two crabeater seals taking a nap. The pair had fallen asleep near the ship, often submerged enough that only the tips of their noses poked out of the water.

“Every now and then the head would come up for a bigger breath, and two came up together, handing me this photo opportunity,” Stubbs writes on Instagram. “I can’t tell you how magical it was to watch, and hear, as they were all snoring away. Some moments in life are complete treasure, and this was definitely one of those moments.”

Crabeater seals are the most abundant seal species in the Southern Ocean, numbering roughly four million. Despite their name, they do not eat crabs—instead, they’ll dine on krill. But these tiny crustaceans require sea ice, especially during the larval phase of their lives—and climate change is putting them at risk by driving down polar sea ice coverage.

As Clear as Crystal by Jason Gulley

American photographer Jason Gulley has photographed many a manatee, but this image of a mother and calf in Florida’s Crystal River remains one of his favorites. That’s not only because of the calf’s expression, or the bubbles trickling up from its flippers, but because it represents a success story of manatee conservation.

“Just a few years ago, Crystal River was an underwater wasteland devoid of aquatic vegetation,” Gulley writes on Instagram. Nutrient pollution and human development had set off algae blooms that choked out any other plants in the water—including the eelgrass that manatees rely on. “Today, thanks to the work of biologists, community and non-profit organizations, and state agencies, Crystal River is bursting with aquatic grasses that are clearing up the visibility, bringing back fish, and sustaining a year-round manatee presence.”

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A mother manatee and her calf in Florida’s Crystal River amid eelgrass, which is crucial for supporting the large mammals. Jason Gulley /   wildlife Photographer of the Year

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