Photos of Cuddly Monkeys, Rare Cats, and More Named as Finalists in International Photo Contest

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition has chosen its 25 finalists for the contest's people's choice awards and is accepting votes for a winner until February 2

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - A golden huddle by Minqiang Lu, China
Photo: Minqiang Lu

Nature is filled with countless stunning moments, and these photographers managed to capture a second of that majesty.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition recently released their people's choice award finalists for the 2022 contest. The Natural History Museum in London, which hosts the annual event, picked 25 photos out of the thousands entered into the competition as finalists.

The chosen shots include poignant peeks into how wild animals lead their private lives and how humanity's actions affect every species on Earth.

To determine the winner of the photo competition's people's choice award, the Natural History Museum depends on the votes of animal lovers. Voting for the award is open until February 2. at the museum's website for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The winner and four runners-up will be announced on February 9. Those who would like to see the finalists' photos in person can see all 25 of the shots, plus the other winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, on exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London until July 2023.

Read on to view the 25 photos from around the world that are up for the contest's people's choice award, and then vote for your favorite.

Hyena Highway by Sam Rowley

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Hyena highway by Sam Rowley, UK
Sam Rowley

Rowley captured a hyena scavenging for scraps left behind by humans on a roadway outside Harar, Ethiopia.

Among the Flowers by Martin Gregus

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Among the flowers by Martin Gregus, Canada
Martin Gregus

Gregus spied on this polar bear cub playing in a patch of fireweed on the coast of Hudson Bay, Canada.

That's the Spot! by Richard Flack

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - That's the spot! By Richard Flack, South Africa
Richard Flack

Flack found a flock of crested guineafowl helping each other scratch hard-to-reach spots while foraging In South Africa's Kruger National Park.

A Golden Huddle by Minqiang Lu

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - A golden huddle by Minqiang Lu, China
Minqiang Lu

Lu found a trio of golden snub-nosed monkeys snuggling to stay warm in central China.

Fishing for Glass Eels by Eladio Fernandez

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Fishing for glass eels by Eladio Fernandez, Dominican Republic
Eladio Fernandez

Fernandez captured the now-regulated process that goes into catching the declining glass eel.

Caribbean Crèche by Claudio Contreras Koob

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Caribbean crèche by Claudio Contreras Koob, Mexico
Claudio Contreras Koob

Koob snapped these photos by lying in the mud and watching a flock of flamingos at the Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

Wasp Attack by Roberto García-Roa

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Wasp attack by Roberto García-Roa, Spain
Roberto García-Roa

García-Roa caught a battle between a pompilid wasp and an ornate Ctenus spider on camera.

The Elusive Golden Cat by Sebastian Kennerknecht

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist
Sebastian Kennerknecht

Kennerknecht got a photo of the rare African golden cat with help from a camera trap.

The Frog with the Ruby Eyes by Jaime Culebras

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - The frog with the ruby eyes by Jaime Culebras, Spain
Jaime Culebras

Culebras photographed this Mindo glass frog at the Río Manduriacu Reserve in Ecuador.

Caught by the Cat by Michał Michlewicz

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Caught by the cat by Michal Michlewicz, Poland
Michal Michlewicz

Michlewicz captured a cat on the hunt in an abandoned barn in Radolinek, Poland.

Head to Head by Miquel Angel Artús Illana

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Head to head by Miquel Angel Artús Illana, Spain
Miquel Angel Artús Illana

Illana was in Norway's Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park when two female muskoxen started fighting near the photographer's lens.

Unlucky for the Cat by Sebastian Kennerknecht

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Unlucky for the cat by Sebastian Kennerknecht, USA
Sebastian Kennerknecht

Kennerknecht took this photo to show the complex relationship between the Andean cat and its human neighbors, who see the feline as a mountain guardian and a symbol of good luck.

Covid Litter by Auke-Florian Hiemstra

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Covid litter by Auke-Florian Hiemstra, Netherlands
Auke-Florian Hiemstra

Hiemstra's photo shows a perch trapped in a surgical glove that was found discarded in a Netherlands canal.

Life and Art by Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Life and art by Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal, Spain
Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal

Mendizabal was in the right place at the right time to get this photo of a gecko interacting with cat graffiti in Corella, Spain.

Red and Yellow by Chloé Bès

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Red and yellow by Chloé Bès, France
Chloé Bès

Bès photographed this gull near Rausu port on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Holding On by Igor Altuna

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Holding on by Igor Altuna, Spain
Igor Altuna

Altuna snapped the moment a leopardess killed a baboon and walked off with the primate's living baby still holding on in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park.

Heads of Tails? by Jodi Frediani

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Heads or tails? by Jodi Frediani, USA
Jodi Frediani

Frediani shot these northern right whale dolphins in flat, clear waters near Monterey Bay, California.

Portrait of Olobor by Marina Cano

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Portrait of Olobor by Marina Cano, Spain
Marina Cano

Cano photographed Olobor, a member of the Black Rock pride in Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, after a controlled burn in the area to stimulate new grass.

Coastline Wolf by Bertie Gregory

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Coastline wolf by Bertie Gregory, UK
Bertie Gregory

Gregory spotted this female grey wolf on the shoreline of Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada.

Night Encounter by Sami Vartiainen

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Night encounter by Sami Vartiainen, Finland
Sami Vartiainen

Vartiainen caught this badger heading out on a nighttime hunt near Helsinki, Finland.

Snowshoe Hare Stare by Deena Sveinsson

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Snowshoe hare stare by Deena Sveinsson, USA
Deena Sveinsson

Sveinsson was snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado when they spotted a snowshoe hare.

Fox Affection by Brittany Crossman

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - Fox affection by Brittany Crossman, Canada
Brittany Crossman

Crossman caught a sweet moment between two foxes in North Shore on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

A Tight Grip by Nicholas More

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - A tight grip by Nicholas More, UK
Nicholas More

More found this male Bargibant's seahorse off the coast of Bali.

World of the Snow Leopard by Sascha Fonseca

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - World of the snow leopard by Sascha Fonseca, Germany
Sascha Fonseca

Fonseca positioned a camera trap to get this photo of a snow leopard admiring the mountains of northern India.

A Fox's Tale by Simon Withyman

Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award Shortlist - A fox's tale by Simon Withyman, UK
Simon Withyman

Withyman shared this photo of a fox injured after getting stuck in a plastic netting barrier to show the negative impact humans can inadvertently have on animals.

To vote for your favorite finalist photo, visit the Natural History Museum's website for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

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