A haunting image featuring a seldom-seen hyena in the forsaken diamond mining town of Kolmanskop, Namibia, has been awarded the top honour in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 competition. The award-winning wildlife photo captures the eerie beauty of nature’s reclaiming of an abandoned human settlement.
This annual wildlife photography competition, hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, set a new record this year with 60,636 entries pouring in from 113 distinct countries and territories. The coveted top prize was claimed by the South African wildlife photographer, Wim van den Heever.
Judging panel chair, Kathy Moran, commented on the winning image: “The shot was made in a ghost town, which adds to the experience. The viewer gets a prickly feeling observing the image, as if intruding into the hyena’s territory.”
Moran also praised the unique twist on the interpretation of ‘urban’ – “Withdrawn by human miners, it’s now a realm taken over by wildlife. It still retains the essence of a town, but it no longer belongs to us.”
“The photograph tells a profound story of abandonment, endurance and the silent victory of nature, rendering it an indelible piece of wildlife and conservation photography,” added Akanksha Sood Singh, a jury member of the competition.
In its sixty-first year, the competition remains a strong platform for visual storytelling, highlighting the intricacy, allure and diversity of the natural world, as well as humanity’s relationship with it.
“This year’s exhibition, enriched by our Biodiversity Intactness Index, is our best fusion of exceptional artistry and groundbreaking science to date. It aims to inspire visitors to become advocates for our planet,” expressed Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum.
An exhibition showcasing the winning images will commence on Friday, 17th October at the Natural History Museum. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition continues to spotlight the beauty and complexity of the natural world, encapsulated in award-winning wildlife photos from around the globe.
