{"id":5854,"date":"2022-02-08T12:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-02-08T11:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=111176"},"modified":"2022-02-08T12:21:11","modified_gmt":"2022-02-08T11:21:11","slug":"loved-up-squirrels-win-the-close-up-photographer-of-the-year-competition","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/loved-up-squirrels-win-the-close-up-photographer-of-the-year-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"Loved-up squirrels win the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Published: Tuesday, 08 February 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Dutch photographer Alex Pansier has won the 2021 Close-up Photographer of the Year Challenge: Two of a Kind with his heart-warming picture of a pair of European ground squirrels sharing a faded poppy on a lawn in Vienna. These animals are classified as vulnerable, mainly due to habitat loss and changes of land use in agriculture.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really enjoyed watching them working together, like father and son,\u201d explains Alex. \u201cFor me, observing and photographing nature is a great way to unwind and share the beauty that\u2019s all around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenge runs throughout November, outside the annual competition of Close-up Photographer of the Year, and has a different theme each year. This time the challenge was to photograph two similar things \u2013 anything from a pair of animals to flowers.<\/p>\n

While Alex took the top spot, British photographer Barry Webb took second place with his image of a pair of slime moulds<\/a>. \u201cAlthough these slime moulds are miniscule,\u201d said competition co-founder Tracy Calder, \u201cBarry has transformed them into majestic trees making us wonder what else we pass by without noticing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two of a kind \u2013 Winner<\/h2>\n
\""European\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
European ground squirrels busy eating a faded poppy on a lawn in Vienna, Austria.\u00a0Photo by Alex Pansier<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Dysdercus Concinnus Coitus \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""CUPOTY-\u00a9\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Cotton bugs of the species\u00a0Dysdercus concinnus<\/i>\u00a0mating in the woods. Photographed at Rajada Stone Reserve, San Antonio del Tequendama, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Photo by Hugo Camacho<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Harlequin shrimps \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
These Harlequin shrimps (Hymenocera picta<\/i>) are feasting on a blue star (Linckia laevigata<\/i>) in the Lembeh Strait, Indonesia. Breeding pairs stay close together, remaining active and hunting for starfish during the day. They stand on top of their prey to immobilise it and then flip it over to access its tube feet. Photo by Adriano Morettin<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The kiss \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Unfurling heads of these cyclamen form a wonderful heart shape in this photo taken in a British garden. Photo by Angi Wallace<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Eating perch \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
This photo was taken during a night dive in Domein Muisbroek, Antwerp, Belgium. The big perch didn\u2019t swallow the smaller perch right away, allowing the photographer enough time to take a series of photos before the smaller fish is eaten. Cannibalism is very common in Eurasian perch. Photo by Luc Rooman<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Blue Beauty Morning \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""CUPOTY-\u00a9\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Damselflies are attracted to running water, and these males are no exception, warming themselves up on a nearby leaf in the early morning. Photo by Roelof de Hoog<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Sonchus Asper \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""CUPOTY-\u00a9\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
This photomicrograph image shows a flower stem from a spiny sowthistle (Sonchus asper)<\/i>, a common thistle with wonderful yellow blooms. All over the plant stem, in a high density on the flower stems, these plants have tiny little hairs with red, small tips. Photo by Gerd Gunther<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Two toads\u00a0\u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Accouplement\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Two common toads (Bufo bufo)\u00a0<\/i>mating in the Bu\u00e8ges river, France. Photo by Mathieu Foulqui\u00e9<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

German Wasps \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
German wasps (Vespula germanica) <\/i>like these are similar in appearance to common wasps, but tend to be larger. They can often be seen gnawing on exposed wood, which they chew and mix with water from puddles which they turn into building materials for their nests. These two were spotted in a garden in Lancashire, UK, and photographed from a hide near their nest.\u00a0Photo by Alan Clark<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The couple \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""Photo\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
These liverleaves of the buttercup family are early bloomers and one of the first wildflowers to emerge each spring. Photographed in Germany. Photo by Henrik Spranz<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Teamwork- Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""CUPOTY\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Two ants work together to carry a dead weevil in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Photo by Roman Willi<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Bee together \u2013 Finalist<\/h2>\n
\""OLYMPUS\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
These lovely Gold-tailed Melitta bees (Melitta\u00a0haemorrhoidalis<\/em>) are photographed taking a very cosy nap inside a flower. This European species of ground-nesting bee forages for pollen exclusively from bellflowers. Photo by Joris Vegter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

More great image galleries on BBC\u00a0Science Focus<\/em>:<\/strong><\/p>\n