12 compelling wildlife photographs from BigPicture 2025

Leaping lemurs, snow-eyed Pallas’ cats, and battling cuttlefish.

By Annie Colbert

Published Jul 8, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

baby elephant under mother in water — "Pure Bliss." With the summer temperature soaring, cooling off is essential, but in the croc infested water in the Chobe, danger always lurks. Staying close to mom however solves the problem
Credit: Dewold Tromp / Big Picutre 2025

A mother lemur leaps across the rugged limestone cliffs near Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in western Madagascar. Her daring jump would be impressive on its own, but she’s carrying a passenger: her only weeks-old baby. Photographer Zhou Donglin captured the moment (seen below) and took home the top prize at the BigPicture 2025 awards.

a lemur takes a massive leap across limestones as its baby clings to it — “Leap of Faith”
Grand Prize Winner
Lemurs are remarkably lithe creatures. With long tails providing balance and powerful, slender limbs outfitted with opposable thumbs and toes, they move with ease through the craggy limestone spires of western Madagascar’s Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Still, leaping over a 30-meter (100-foot) ravine with a baby clinging to your back seems like a daring choice.
To capture this scene, photographer Zhou Donglin had to do some mountaineering of her own. Setting out before sunrise, Donglin spent an hour scrambling to the top of a rocky peak, praying that the elusive brown lemurs ( Eulemur fulvus ) would show. After a day of disappointingly distant sightings, Donglin finally found some luck as a small troop descended through a forest of stone, glowing gold in the late evening light.
In November, when this photo was taken, animals and plants in Tsingy de Bemaraha are nearing the end of a long dry season. After months of minimal rainfall, brown lemurs shift their diets from various fruits to the watery leaves of low-growing plants. This change comes at a vulnerable time for female lemurs, mere weeks after they’ve given birth. With their babies still nursing and unable to travel on their own, the mothers must strike out in search of sufficient water and nutrients — even if that quest requires a bold leap or two along the way.
Credit: Zhou Donglin / BigPicture 2025

BigPicture began in 2014 and has received more than 64,000 images from photographers around the world since launching. The competition honors photographers across multiple categories, including Aquatic Life, Terrestrial Wildlife, Winged, and Human/Nature.

Scroll to see our favorite wildlife images from this year’s contest and visit BigPicture for the full list. (Click images to enlarge to full screen.)

a snake bites a frog — “Filling Up”
Finalist, Aquatic Life
During a night hike in Texas wetland, this photographer came across two common members of the area’s herpetofauna entangled in a predation event: a Diamondback watersnake (Nerodia rhombifer) and American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). Though these species are often easily observable on their own, this particular scenario is incredibly unusual given its entirely unobstructed scene—making for one unforgettable photo.
Credit: Nick Kanakis / BigPicture 2025

a beetle larva sits on sand with a fungus pushing through it — “Exorcism”
Finalist, Terrestrial Wildlife
Witness the final stage of a parasitic relationship as a beetle larva (family Scarabaeidae) sits frozen against the drifting sand while a fungus (genus Ophiocordyceps) erupts from its head. By the time this image was taken, the insides of this beetle would have been fully consumed by mycelium, with the fungi producing fruiting bodies that almost look like horns to release spores. These spores will go on to infect other insect species, continuing the morbid cycle.
Credit: Sadie Hine / BigPicture 2025

A Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) mother with a pup (baby) flies between trees at a Melbourne colony. Pups will normally stay attached to their mothers until they become too heavy to carry (at about 4-5 weeks of age), and are then left with other pups in ‘crèching’ trees, where they wait for their mothers to return at dawn (after spending the night looking for food). When the mothers are away at night, pups are often at significant risk of exposure to the elements (e.g. cold snaps, rain). Eventually, after about 4-5 months, these pups will fly out to forage on their own. This species is currently listed as vulnerable to extinction, with significant threats including continued habitat destruction and climate change related events (e.g. heat stress, cold snaps). Scientific interest: Recognised as a keystone species, Grey-headed Flying-foxes are vital for forest ecosystem health along the coast of Australia, from South Australia to Queensland. Sometimes called “night gardeners” they assist over 100 plant species by helping seed dispersal and pollination, and individuals have been recorded as travelling over 2,500km in a single year. Image note: Whilst carrying their young (travelling at about 25-30km/hr) it’s important to keep a distance, hence using a 600m lens and cropping in. Location: Myuna Wetlands (on Bunurong Country), Doveton, Victoria, Australia. Year: 2023 Digital adjustments: include tone (e.g. exposure and contrast), presence, burning, dodging, cropping, sharpening, noise reduction as permitted. — “Baby on Board”
Finalist, Winged
A delightful showcasing of the maternal instincts of a Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) as she glidies through a canopy with her baby in tow. The largest bat in Australia, Grey-headed flying-fox mothers keep their pups attached until they are about three weeks old. At that point the pups are typically too heavy to carry and are left in a roost to await for food until they are strong enough to forage for themselves, often at a risk of exposure to the elements like rain and cold. Those initial weeks of attachment are brief and rarely documented in flight.
Credit: Doug Gimesy / BigPicture 2025

The more I work in human-wildlife conflict, the more the conflict becomes internal. The two dead sheep this grizzly was suspected of killing in western Montana seem like pretty clear evidence of conflict, but what’s less clear is what to do about it. A grizzly bear’s life is pretty simple: look for food, find a mate, sleep for a long time, repeat. They’re perfectly tuned to forage for berries, dig for seeds, and scavenge carcasses. True opportunists. They don’t seek out conflict, they simply make decisions based on what’s in front of them––but in the end calories are calories. Sometimes our trash cans, fruit trees, birdfeeders, and livestock make the decision tragically easy. His decision to go after sheep landed this bear in a culvert trap, set by tribal wildlife specialists out of concern for people, livestock, and the bear himself. Strange as it sounds, getting captured might be his best chance of survival. Watching him through the steel grate, he didn’t seem erratic or fearful. If anything, he looked confused, trying to understand a world changing faster than he can naturally evolve. His reflection stares back at him as if expecting him to exist between two worlds: one where he’s revered as a symbol of wisdom and wildness, and the other where he’s a nuisance at best and a menace at worst. This culvert trap isn’t the most serious one he or his kind will face. The traps we put on landscapes––roadways, unsecured attractants, our sprawling human footprint––pose far greater threats over time. I deeply respect wildlife specialists who wrestle with the nuances of grizzly conflict. Often the people they encounter are harder to deal with than the bears, and they manage both with grace and skill. The good news is they relocated this bear to territory far from humans, where he’ll have another chance to thrive. Even better is the growing sense of collaboration among tribes, agencies, NGOs, city planners, and landowners who bring action to coexistence. But as the trap door opened and he launched back into familiar habitat, I felt the conflict that we all have to deal with: As we expect him to change his habits to survive in the ever-crowded West, are we willing to do the same? — “The Face in the Trap”
Finalist, Human/Nature
A young Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is captured by wildlife biologists on suspicion of killing two sheep on a community farm. As the human population grows, grizzly bears are left with fewer places to turn for natural diets and are often tempted to go after human food sources— often at great cost to the bear. After capture, this bear looked more confused than anything, and this culvert trap isn’t the most serious one his kind will face. The traps humans put on landscapes––roadways, unsecured attractants, our sprawling human footprint––pose far greater threats over time. Luckily, wildlife specialists were able to perform a health screening, attach a GPS collar to obtain movement data, and relocate this bear. But as the trap door opened and he launched back into familiar habitat, the photographer felt a twinge of conflict: As humans expect this bear to change his habits to survive in the ever-crowded American West, are they willing to do the same?
Credit: Rob Green / BigPicture 2025

two giant cuttlefish entangled in an underwater fight — “Theatre of War”
Finalist, Aquatic Life
In this painting-like scene, two male Giant Cuttlefish (Ascarosepion apama) fight over a nearby female. Every winter, these gliding giants gather in Whyalla to mate, lay eggs, and flaunt their camouflaging abilities. Below them, two separate clouds of ink are visible; like most cephalopods, cuttlefish eject ink in order to escape attackers or confuse predators. In this case, that defense mechanism may not have assisted in the struggle!
Credit: Talia Nicole Greis / BigPicture 2025

This photograph captures the resilience of a Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) in the aftermath of a heavy snowstorm in eastern Mongolia, where temperatures plunged to -35°C with wind chill. Covered entirely in snow, including its eyes, this elusive feline relies on remarkable adaptations to thrive in such extreme conditions. With its eyes positioned high on its forehead and flat ears that enhance its camouflage, the Pallas’s cat can blend seamlessly into its environment, becoming indistinguishable from a snow-covered rock. This behavior, essential for avoiding predators, highlights its extraordinary survival strategies. For me, coming from Kuwait, where temperatures reach up to 53°C, photographing this moment was a test of endurance in unfamiliar, extreme cold. Shivering from the freezing wind, I was awestruck by the cat’s ability to navigate and remain undeterred despite the heavy snow. This image showcases not only the Pallas’s cat’s incredible adaptations but also the perseverance required to capture wildlife in some of the planet’s harshest environments. — “No Eyes”
Finalist, Terrestrial Wildlife
A Pallas’ cat’s (Otocolobus manul) eyes are completely covered after a heavy snowstorm. Though this image presents a humorous portrait of a somewhat underseen species, the photographer notes that he wants to bring attention to the challenges faced by some Pallas’ cat populations, particularly in Mongolia. Major threats to the cats include being hunted for their pelts, poisoning of their prey species, and habitat fragmentation.
Credit: Mohammad Murad / BigPicture 2025

an elephant walks in the forest amongst elands — “Forest Walker”
Finalist, Terrestrial Wildlife
Flanked by the magical light of the late dry season, an enchanted forest scene boasts not only an elegant African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) under an iconic Ana tree, but a herd of Common elands (Taurotragus oryx). While elephants are considered the most emblematic species in the Mana Pools National Park, the eland herd in the photo is also very notable due to their behavior. They are normally very shy and quick to run away from humans and vehicles, but remained peacefully alongside the elephant in this image.
Credit: Charlie Wemyss-Dunn / BigPicture 2025

a large white butterfly with spotted wings takes off from a purple flower — “Apollo”
Finalist, Winged
An Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) flies off after taking a long drink of nectar from a thistle (family Asteraceae). Though many may be put off by their prickly nature, thistles are an undersung hero in the biodiversity realm, serving as a favored nectar source among countless species. Ironically enough, the Apollo butterfly produces a repulsive, bitter taste on its skin to detract predators—making the two species more alike than one might think!
Credit: Pål Hermansen / BigPicture 2025

a woman and a dog in a cage — “On Their Side”
Finalist, Human/Nature
In many parts of Australia, the Dingo (Canis familiaris dingo) is the largest apex predator, playing a vital role in maintaining ecosystem health. It is a significant cultural species for many First Peoples and is often described as a totemic species: kin and family. Despite this, as well as being listed as vulnerable to extinction by the Australian Government, the Dingo is misunderstood, underappreciated, and often legally persecuted, with broad-scale baiting, trapping and shooting. In this image, Lyn Watson from the Australian Dingo Foundation stands inside the enclosure of one of her pure-bred, ambassador dingoes, Aussie. Lyn has worked tirelessly on the side of dingoes for many years, to help ensure they are recognised as unique and important to the ecology of the Australian landscape, and they continue to survive and thrive. Part of her work involves preserving and breeding a genetically pure dingo population at her research centre on the outskirts of Melbourne, as well as communication education and advocacy. Her hope is that one day, dingoes may be reintroduced into the wider Australian landscape, and help restore balance to the ecosystem.  
Credit: Doug Gimesy / BigPicture 2025 Douglas Gimesy

a bat prepares to take off from a leaf while her five babies huddle together — “Leaving the Roost”
Winner, Winged
At dusk, a family of six Honduran white bats (Ectophylla alba) roost on the underside of a leaf, preparing to take off in search of their dinner. As the first one departs, we’re given a look at its nearly translucent wingspan, a feature often overlooked due to its unique facial features and iconic white fur. As one of the more enigmatic species found near the La Selva Biological Research Station in Costa Rica, this species constructs “tents” out of plant leaves in the forest’s understory by strategically cutting the leaf ribs with its teeth. This image captures one of the members leaving at dusk, with the rest of the family following soon after to find figs, a fruit it eats exclusively. After the feast, the family will return, or make a new tent to take shelter in if needed.
Credit: Dvir Barkay / BigPicture 2025 Dvir Barkay