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In Pictures: Standoff between fox and marmot wins top photography prize

China’s Yongqing Baohas was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
China’s Yongqing Baohas was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year. China’s Yongqing Baohas was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

A picture capturing a standoff between a Tibetan fox and a marmot, seemingly frozen in life-or-death deliberations, has won the top prize at the Natural History Museum’s annual wildlife photography competition.

China’s Yongqing Baohas was named Wildlife Photographer of the Year for the photo which judges said captures “quite simply the perfect moment”.

Deception by Ripan Biswas
Deception by Ripan Biswas Deception by Ripan Biswas, the winner of the Animal Portraits category (Natural History Museum/PA)
Snow-plateau Nomads by Shangzhen Fan
Snow-plateau Nomads by Shangzhen Fan Snow-plateau Nomads by Shangzhen Fan was named the winner in the Animals In Their Environment category (Natural History Museum/PA)
Humming Surprise by Thomas Easterbrook
Humming Surprise by Thomas Easterbrook Humming Surprise by Thomas Easterbrook is the winner in the 10-years-and-under category (Natural History Museum/PA)
The Architectural Army by Daniel Kronauer
The Architectural Army by Daniel Kronauer The Architectural Army by Daniel Kronauer, the winner of the Behaviour: Invertebrates category (Natural History Museum/PA)

Fourteen-year-old Cruz Erdmann took the award for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year with his portrait of an iridescent big fin reef squid captured on a night dive in the Lembeh Strait off North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Theo Bosboom, nature photographer and member of the judging panel, said: “To dive in the pitch dark, find this beautiful squid and to be able to photograph it so elegantly, to reveal its wonderful shapes and colours, takes so much skill. What a resounding achievement for such a young photographer.”

Night Glow by Cruz Erdmann
Night Glow by Cruz Erdmann Night Glow by Cruz Erdmann, won the 11-14 age category (Natural History Museum/PA)
The Garden Of Eels by David Doubilet
The Garden Of Eels by David Doubilet The Garden Of Eels by David Doubilet was named the winner of the Under Water category (Natural History Museum/PA)
Another Barred Migrant by Alejandro Prieto
Another Barred Migrant by Alejandro Prieto Another Barred Migrant by Alejandro Prieto, the winner of the Wildlife Photojournalism: Single Image category (Natural History Museum/PA)
Early Riser by Riccardo Marchgiani
Early Riser by Riccardo Marchgiani Early Riser by Riccardo Marchgiani, the winner of the 15-17 age category (Natural History Museum/PA)
Pondworld by Manuel Plaickner
Pondworld by Manuel Plaickner Pondworld by Manuel Plaickner won in the Behaviour: Amphibians And Reptiles category (Natural History Museum/PA)

The two winning images were selected from 19 category winners, depicting the diversity of life on Earth – from displays of rarely seen animal behaviour to hidden underwater worlds.

Cruz and Yongqing’s images will be on display along with 98 other photographs at the Natural History Museum from October 18 before touring across the UK and internationally to locations such as Canada, Spain, the US, Australia and Germany.

Land Of The Eagle by Audun Rikardsen
Land Of The Eagle by Audun Rikardsen Land Of The Eagle by Audun Rikardsen, the winner of the Behaviour: Birds category (Natural History Museum/PA)
The Equal Match by Ingo Arndt
The Equal Match by Ingo Arndt The Equal Match by Ingo Arndt, the joint winner of the Behaviour: Mammals category (Natural History Museum/PA)
The Huddle by Stefan Christmann
The Huddle by Stefan Christmann The Huddle by Stefan Christmann, the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio Award (Natural History Museum/PA)
Snow Exposure by Max Waugh
Snow Exposure by Max Waugh Snow Exposure by Max Waugh won in the Black And White category (Natural History Museum/PA)