Wildlife

The winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition have been announced, showcasing the year's best nature and wildlife photography. The award, run by the Natural History Museum in London, is one of the most prestigious prizes in the field, and the winning images are drawing attention for their depictions of animals and wild places around the world.

Influencer Mr Faisu is sharing a family day out with his parents and companion Tanya, featuring a breakfast alongside sea lions, a visit to a wildlife park and a trip to a snow world attraction. The outing, documented in a vlog-style video posted in Hindi, has drawn close to a million likes as fans react to the rare family appearance.

An aquarium has announced the birth of seven African penguin chicks, a species listed as critically endangered in the wild. The arrivals are being celebrated as a boost for conservation breeding programmes, which work to maintain a healthy insurance population of the species, whose wild numbers have collapsed due to overfishing, habitat loss and climate pressures.

Footage showcasing the abundant wildlife of the Pantanal, the vast tropical wetland in Brazil, is attracting large audiences worldwide. The region, home to jaguars, caimans, giant river otters and hundreds of bird species, is considered one of the best places on Earth to observe animals in the wild. Viewers are praising the stunning natural scenery and biodiversity, with the Pantanal becoming a focal point for nature lovers and wildlife tourism discussions.

A diver has shared footage of two squid swimming side by side about 80 feet (24 metres) below the surface during a dive last week. The squid appeared to stay together for most of the time, which the diver notes is a rare treat, as spotting even a single squid on a dive is unusual.

Photographers are sharing underwater images tagged for Silent Sunday, a weekly social media tradition where users post photos with little or no accompanying text. The posts feature scuba and ocean scenes under nature and photography hashtags, drawing engagement from wildlife and diving communities.

Content creator Ronan Walters has released a new collaboration with the Anazala Family in which he investigates and claims to find a mystery animal in their backyard. The wildlife-themed video is drawing heavy engagement, with hundreds of thousands of viewers reacting to the discovery and the family's on-camera response. Fans are debating what the animal could be and sharing clips from the video.

A wildlife anecdote is circulating about an animal earning the trust of new friends, only to face one problem: the friends sit high in a tree it cannot reach. The story ends warmly, with the friends going out of their way to lead it to a special tree where it can sit with them too.

Children's videos teaching the sounds of wild and farm animals are attracting large audiences, with clips from kids' channels such as Pyare Geet Kids and Tana Rhymes collecting hundreds of thousands of likes. The content pairs cute animal characters, including giraffes, penguins and cats, with their sounds to help young children learn.

A compilation of funny donkey clips is being billed as the funniest animal video of 2026, drawing more than a million likes from viewers worldwide. The footage shows donkeys in a series of silly, laugh-out-loud moments, and audiences are sharing it widely as feel-good entertainment.

Wildlife enthusiasts are drawing attention to the blue-throated bee-eater, a colourful bird of Southeast Asia with notably unusual breeding habits. Parents are sometimes assisted by 'helpers' — often older offspring or non-breeding adults — who feed the chicks and guard the nest burrow, a form of cooperative breeding that fascinates birders and ecologists.

A children's educational video teaching the sounds of wild and farm animals is attracting a large audience worldwide. The short lesson pairs cute animal footage with sounds from cats, cows, sheep, horses, giraffes and penguins, aimed at toddlers and young children learning animal names. Its popularity reflects steady parent demand for simple, screen-friendly learning content for early childhood.

A rescuer saved a deer in distress, and footage of the encounter is capturing wide attention, with the story framed around an uplifting moment after the animal was freed. The clip has drawn more than a million likes as viewers share emotional reactions to the rescue and the deer's apparent recovery.

A wildlife compilation showing animal mothers proudly presenting their young is drawing large audiences worldwide. Viewers are reacting warmly to scenes of mothers from various species parading, grooming and protecting their babies, with hundreds of thousands engaging with the footage. Commenters describe the clips as uplifting and share them widely, adding the compilation to a wave of feel-good animal content circulating this week.

A scuba diver has recounted a night dive in which large tarpon repeatedly circled the group, apparently hunting smaller fish that were drawn to the divers. The diver describes being in the ocean after dark as exciting, since that is when nocturnal creatures come out to feed. Other divers and ocean enthusiasts are responding warmly to the firsthand account of underwater nightlife.

A deer trapped in a forest has been freed by a passing stranger, in an animal rescue story drawing wide attention online. Viewers are responding warmly to the Good Samaritan's intervention, with the clip attracting well over a million likes as it circulates among animal lovers.

Nature photographers are sharing recent sightings across the Netherlands, including a wryneck photographed at Maasvlakte near Rotterdam and a juvenile pallid harrier near Eemnes, both shot with Sony camera equipment. A post also notes a small invasion of nutcrackers, a species described as very rare for the Netherlands. Birders are celebrating the unusual string of rarities appearing in Dutch nature areas.

Photographer Laura Lawrence has shared a series of black-and-white close-up photographs of a rose, tagged under nature and wildlife themes. The monochrome images are picking up small amounts of engagement from nature and photography enthusiasts who appreciate close-up floral work.

A children's learning video featuring a fun jungle safari is teaching young viewers the names of wild animals in both Hindi and English. The bilingual format has drawn a large audience, with hundreds of thousands of people engaging with the content, reflecting strong interest in early-learning material for kids.

Wildlife photographer laur_lawr has shared a series of colorful close-up insect photographs, tagged for nature and wildlife audiences. The images are attracting modest engagement from nature lovers and photography fans, who are appreciating the detailed macro shots of insects in their natural setting.

A compilation of cows behaving in comically dramatic ways is drawing large audiences worldwide. Viewers are sharing clips of the oversized animals reacting theatrically to everyday situations, calling them unexpectedly funny given their size. The lighthearted animal footage has become a popular share as people pass around the amusing moments.

A photographer is sharing plant and nature images tagged in Czech, English, French and German, reaching an international audience under community tags like FlowersOfMastodon and bloomscrolling. The posts show the multilingual tagging practice common among nature photographers, helping images travel across language communities and drawing small but steady appreciation from viewers in different countries.

A social media user in Australia shared one of their 'three good things': spotting a blue fairy wren in town, a rare occurrence for the species in an urban setting. They described it as a real gift, also noting mulberries ripening locally and caring friends. The post reflects a popular gratitude hashtag where people share small daily joys, often including wildlife encounters.

A photographer has begun posting one photo per day from their personal archive, chosen at random in subject, time and location, with the stated aim of sharing images that bring joy. The project, currently at its 480th entry, features nature and landscape photography and is intended to make both the photographer and viewers happy.

The US Department of Agriculture has announced an additional $21 million for ten new projects aimed at expanding wildlife conservation and improving public access to outdoor spaces. The funding continues the department's conservation investment programme, supporting habitat work and recreation opportunities, and is drawing attention from agricultural and rural news outlets covering federal land and wildlife policy.

The National Park Foundation is highlighting the lesser-known animals that live in national parks, shifting attention away from famous species like bears. The piece spotlights overlooked wildlife and encourages visitors to notice and appreciate the full range of species protected in these landscapes.

Wildlife crossings, overpasses and underpasses designed to let animals safely cross roads, are receiving renewed coverage from outlets including TIME for Kids and LAist. The structures aim to reduce vehicle-animal collisions and reconnect fragmented habitats, with projects in places like California frequently cited as examples of growing investment in the approach.

A wildlife photographer shared a striking image of a bull moose taken at Antelope Flats in Grand Teton National Park. The shot was captured in December 2019 with a Fujifilm X-T3 and a 100-400mm telephoto lens at 400mm, f/8, 1/500s and ISO 2500. Photography enthusiasts are praising the sharpness of the capture and discussing the gear and settings used.

The ginkgo tree, one of the oldest living tree species, is being celebrated for its distinctive fan-shaped leaves that split down the middle like a pair of small green lungs. Gardeners and herbal enthusiasts note that standardized ginkgo extract, typically taken at 120–240mg daily, is commonly used to support memory. The tree's ancient lineage and enduring popularity keep it a favourite topic among plant lovers.

The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for 2026 is drawing attention, with coverage highlighting the contest's call for entries and its standing as one of the most prestigious awards in nature photography. Photographers worldwide follow it for the chance to have their work exhibited in London and seen by millions.

People are sharing photographs of woodlands, landscapes and natural scenery as part of a recurring Sunday tradition of posting images with minimal or no commentary. The nature photography posts, tagged for woodland and landscape work, are drawing steady engagement across the social web, with photographers and nature lovers using the day to showcase quiet moments outdoors.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2026 are drawing attention with their annual selection of humorous animal images from around the world, as highlighted by DW. The competition celebrates wildlife photography that captures animals in funny, candid moments, blending conservation awareness with light entertainment.

People are posting quiet, camera-only photographs to mark Silent Sunday, a tradition of sharing a single wordless image each weekend. Current posts lean on autumn themes, with trees, leaves and wildlife in seasonal colour drawing small but steady engagement from photography and nature communities.

A vibrant photograph of a double-petaled pink hibiscus flower in morning sunlight is drawing warm attention online. The image shows layers of ruffled pink petals set against deep green foliage, with the photographer praising nature's vivid colors. Viewers are sharing it as a cheerful, decorative moment of natural beauty amid their daily feeds.

A photographer is sharing close-up monochrome images of birds, tagged for wildlife and nature audiences. The black-and-white shots are picking up modest engagement as bird and photography communities circulate them.

Wildlife photographer Pekka Reittila has shared images of a pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum), known in Finnish as varpuspöllö, taken in Helsinki using OM System gear with an M.Zuiko 150-400mm Pro lens. The Eurasian pygmy owl is Europe's smallest owl and a prized sighting among birders, and the images are circulating among bird photography and nature communities.

People are sharing beach photographs for the weekly Sea Wednesday hashtag tradition, this time showcasing Playa del Ingles on Gran Canaria. The images highlight spring ocean views and coastal landscapes, with the poster celebrating the good fortune of living at this latitude. The hashtag invites others to post their own seaside scenes.

Outdoor and photography enthusiasts are marking Waterfall Wednesday by sharing images and clips of waterfalls, often combining the theme with trail running and autumn nature shots. One trail running account noted it had enjoyed a good day photographing waterfalls before turning its attention to more demanding training ahead. The hashtag continues to draw a steady trickle of scenic posts.

A coyote has become an early user of a large new wildlife crossing in California, and reports say the animal's passage marks a world first for the structure. The overpass is designed to let animals safely cross a busy freeway, reducing collisions and reconnecting habitat. Observers are charmed that a coyote, rather than a more celebrated species, claimed the milestone.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency carried out a 'bat blitz', a concentrated field survey, and discovered an endangered bat species in the state. The find highlights ongoing efforts to monitor bat populations, which have been under pressure from habitat loss and disease, and gives conservationists fresh information to guide protection work in Tennessee.

Purdue University has introduced a new online series titled Wildlife Issues and Solutions, aimed at educating viewers about wildlife challenges and potential approaches to addressing them. The launch gives the public a structured way to learn about topics such as habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and conservation, and may draw interest from students, naturalists and communities dealing with local wildlife concerns.