The 2025 Nature "inFocus" Photography Contest Has Just Announced Its Winners (40 Pics)

Location: Eastern Steppe, Mongolia

"On the windswept steppes of Mongolia, six young Pallas’s cats emerge from their rocky shelter. Still dependent on their mother’s care, these eight-week-old kittens explore their surroundings with caution and wonder, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of this elusive species."

Location: Eastern Mongolia

"Blanketed by frost in the Mongolian wilderness, a Pallas’s cat endures the aftermath of a snowstorm at -35°C. Perfectly adapted to its frozen world, this elusive feline’s dense fur, flattened ears, and high-set eyes allow it to vanish into the landscape. "

Location: Komodo, Indonesia

"After days of fieldwork with local rangers, the photographer captures a Komodo dragon resting in shallow coastal water. As cold-blooded animals, they use water and mud to cool themselves and often swim or walk along the seabed while searching for food or mates."

Location: Uganda

"In the forests of Uganda, a young male chimpanzee lounges effortlessly on a twisted vine, pausing to observe the world below."

Location: Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

"In the Maasai Mara, two elephants intertwine their trunks in a gentle moment of play. The black-and-white frame highlights the texture of their skin and the quiet connection shared between them."

Location: Japan, Hokkaido, Obihiro

"Monmongas, or flying squirrels, live in Hokkaido, Japan. Though not uncommon, photographing them is difficult. They are small, fast, and nocturnal, active mostly at dawn or dusk. During mating season, this one finally peeked out of its nest, 5 metres high, long enough for a single photo."

Location: Vashlovani National Park, Georgia

"In a cluster of unusually shaped trees, the photographer sets soft lights using flashes and fabric to guide a fox into view. With the setup blending into the canopy, the moment offers a brief look at a usually elusive visitor moving through the night."

Location: Chennai, India

"From a hollow tree in Chennai, a family of Spotted Owlets peers curiously at the world outside."

Location: Land of the Leopard National Park, Russia

"In Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park, one of the world’s rarest big cats moves quietly through its forest home. The photographer recalls that the Amur leopard appeared for only a moment before slipping back into the dense cover of the trees."

Location: Mysore, Karnataka

"Adaptable and elusive, leopards have long lived alongside people in many parts of India. But as towns grow and natural spaces shrink, encounters like this have become more common. This moment of a leopard moving past an open doorway offers a glimpse into the delicate relationship shared by people and wildlife in changing landscapes."

Location: Maldives

"Drawn from the ocean’s depths by plankton gathered near a boat’s light, a whale shark glides through the dark waters. The scene feels celestial, its white spots gleaming like distant stars, the light below forming a stairway through the sea."

Location: Wrangel Island, Russia

"On Wrangel Island, a polar bear pauses after a successful hunt, a trail of blood marking its path across the snow."

Location: Udaipur, Rajasthan

"A young leopard feeds on a cow carcass beside garbage and fast-moving traffic. The scene reflects how adaptable these cats are and how closely they now live to human settlements."

Location: Bakonybél, Hungary

"After five years of observation, the photographer captures a badger emerging from one of its many sett exits beneath a star-filled sky. The scene brings together earth and cosmos, offering a sense of scale between a small night wanderer and the vastness above."

Location: Anilao, Philippines

"During a nighttime blackwater dive, a female Paper Nautilus clings to a drifting leaf, using it as a temporary refuge in the open sea. The encounter offers a brief look at how ocean creatures adapt to life in deep, open waters and the world below the waves."

Location: Andhra Pradesh

"An endangered Fishing Cat looks into a DSLR camera trap, surrounded by litter carried in by the tides. It offers a glimpse of how deeply human activity influences even the most hidden corners of the wild."

Location: Badlapur, Maharashtra

"Mongooses often visit this backyard, inspiring the photographer to document their hidden world. In this image, a female and her young one explore a small patch of land they depend on, now scattered with an empty mango box.f"

Location: Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Uttar Pradesh

"During a safari in Dudhwa, the photographer watched a jungle cat drag a monocellate cobra onto the road, beginning a 20-minute duel of strikes and lunges. With quick reflexes and precision, the cat overpowered its venomous opponent and claimed its meal."

Location: Busanga plains , Kafue National park, Zambia

"In Zambia’s Busanga Plains, the rains bring back the mud that hippos love most. From above, they can be seen resting and playing in their muddy paradise on the African plains."

Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra

"A grey heron lifts into the air, backlit by the afternoon sun. Startled by a passing fisherman, it circles above the lake, offering the photographer an unexpected view as it poops in flight. The moment is playful reminder of how nature creates its own surprising patterns."