{"id":17056,"date":"2022-09-01T01:01:43","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T23:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=127237"},"modified":"2022-09-01T01:25:12","modified_gmt":"2022-08-31T23:25:12","slug":"a-neighbourly-polar-bear-and-a-startled-sloth-the-best-of-the-rest-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2022","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/a-neighbourly-polar-bear-and-a-startled-sloth-the-best-of-the-rest-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"A neighbourly polar bear and a startled sloth: The best of the rest from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By James Cutmore\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 01 September 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/a> competition is the most prestigious prize in its field, producing many famous winners<\/a> and incredible stories for many years.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s prize is set to be no different. Ahead of the official prize winners being announced in October, the competition has just released a set of highly commended images that have been submitted for this year\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n

These are the images that, though spectacular, didn\u2019t quite make it into the final shortlist.<\/p>\n

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum<\/a>, London, where the redesigned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open on 14 October 2022.<\/div>\n

Burrow mates<\/h2>\n
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A wild Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit triggers a camera trap near a burrow on the Nature Conservancy-owned Beezley Hills complex between Ephrata and Quincy, Washington, USA. Photo by Morgan Heim\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Underwater wonderland<\/h2>\n
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European perch photographed underwater in a cloud of algae, Honkalampi, Posio, Finland. Photo by Tiina T\u00f6rm\u00e4nen\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The right look<\/h2>\n
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New Zealand\u2019s population of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis<\/em>), known as \u2018tohor\u0101\u2019 in M\u0101ori, were hunted to near extinction by European whalers in the 1800s. Now, after huge conservation efforts, their numbers have since recovered. This curious young calf was fascinated by the photographer taking its picture, and kept swimming past to take a closer look. Photo by Richard Robinson\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The disappearing giraffe<\/h2>\n
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Located at the edge of Kenya\u2019s capital, Nairobi National Park is a safe haven for hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles and plants.\u00a0In 2019, Kenya completed the so-called Phase 2A Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), building a 6km railway stretch on 178 pillars through the middle of the park. Conservationists and environmentalists have warned that the impacts of SGR on the park will be devastating. Nairobi National Park has already been affected by rapid urbanisation, infrastructure development and rising land prices around it.\u00a0This picture shows a giraffe running between railway pillars because of the noise and the vibration of an approaching train. Photo by Jose Fragozo\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Sloth dilemma<\/h2>\n
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This brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus<\/em>) is being sniffed by a dog after climbing down palm trees at Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica. The dog thankfully only wanted to investigate, before leaving the sloth to carry on their journey. Photo by Suzi Eszterhas\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The snow stag<\/h2>\n
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A red deer stag stands majestically as the snow falls in Richmond Park, London, United Kingdom. Photo by Joshua Cox\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Wanted!<\/h2>\n
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Surrounded by mining tools and the remains of animals, coltan is an important material in the production of laptops and mobile phones. Gorilla bones, all seized by customs authorities, are also displayed and includes a\u00a0skull, vertebrae and leg bones. Coltan is extracted from the riverbeds of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by poorly paid miners who also hunt wild animals, such as gorillas, for food.\u00a0Photo by Britta Jaschinski\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The octopus case<\/h2>\n
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A coconut octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus<\/em>) photographed in the black sands of Lembeh Strait, Sulawesi, Indonesia.\u00a0The coconut octopus is one of the worlds most intelligent invertebrates, and one of the sea creatures that has ever been seen using tools. Especially in the sandy slopes of Lembeh, with very few places to hide, it has developed unique survival strategies, which gives it the title of one of the ocean\u2019s most resourceful animals. It can create mobile homes with many different shells, and can carry them around while \u2018walking\u2019 on two of its arms.\u00a0Photo by Samuel Sloss\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Just one day\u2019s catch <\/b><\/h2>\n
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Recently caught marlin and sailfish are laid out on the ground in this aerial image shot by drone, at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India.\u00a0Sailfish and marlin are top ocean predators, and are thus essential to ecosystems. Globally, 85 per cent of fish stocks are currently overexploited by humans. Without urgent efforts to protect marine habitats and create truly sustainable fishing practices, some species may soon become extinct.\u00a0Photo by Srikanth Mannepuri\/Wildlife Photographer of the Year<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

More images from Science Focus<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n