An extraordinary and deeply poignant black-and-white photograph of an elephant carrying a deceased calf has been announced as the overall winner of the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. Titled The Aftermath, the winning image was captured by Italian wildlife photographer Federico Veronesi in Namibia’s Huab River Valley.
The announcement was made at a formal ceremony hosted by naturalists and television presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin at the Natural History Museum in London. The competition, developed and produced by the museum, received a record-breaking 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories around the globe.
Discovery of the Winning Image
Federico Veronesi captured the winning moment after tracking elephant movements and noticing an unusual pattern of drag marks across the sand in a dry riverbed. Upon catching up with the family group, the source of the markings became clear. A female elephant emerged carrying a dead calf, with its leg wedged securely between her tusk and her trunk.
Reflecting on the encounter-which marks his twentieth year of photographing animals-Veronesi described it as the most profound moment of his career. “Of all the 20 years I’ve done photographing animals, this is the most heart-wrecking and fascinating and dramatic,” he stated, emphasizing that the scene reveals the immense depth, complexity, and emotional range of wild animals.
Kathy Moran, chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year jury, praised the emotional and intellectual weight of the photograph. “This photograph works on so many levels,” Moran said. “Emotionally it’s a gut punch, heartbreakingly poignant. Intellectually it’s proof that animals have cognition. This photograph says it all!”
Insights Into Animal Behavior
Following the capture of the photograph, Veronesi consulted with elephant researchers working in the region to better understand the behavior. Researchers identified the female elephant as an individual that had lost her own calf years prior and had previously been observed picking up dead calves belonging to other mothers.
Behaviors surrounding death have been documented in both African and Asian elephants. These complex actions include vocalizations, vigilant guarding of the dead, careful inspection and handling of bones, and carrying deceased young. While some scientific researchers interpret these actions as part of an elephant’s cognitive process in understanding death, others view them as powerful displays of mourning and grief.
Historic Monochrome Wins and Young Winners
For the first time in the 62-year history of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, both the adult and young overall winners were recognized for black-and-white photography, highlighting the enduring impact of monochrome imagery.
The title of Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 was awarded to Oscar Whitfield, a young British photographer living in Zimbabwe. His winning image, titled Labour of Love, captures a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung uphill through the sand in the Zambezi National Park, emphasizing the crucial ecological role these insects play in reducing methane emissions and decomposing waste.
Exhibition Details
The winning photographs, along with category winners across realms ranging from underwater ecosystems to urban wildlife, will be showcased in a public exhibition opening at the Natural History Museum in London on Friday, October 16, 2026. The exhibition will run until Sunday, July 11, 2027, before embarking on national and international tours to inspire global audiences toward wildlife conservation.
