Finalists Of The 2014 Wildlife Photographer Of The Year Competition Will Take Your Breath Away

Chris Miller Jul 21, 2014

London’s Natural History Museum and BBC have joined together in sponsoring the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Fifty finalists, opens in new tabhave recently been released, out of the over 41,000 total entries. Here are some of the most spectacular shots and where you can find these animals in the wild!

“Dante’s Inferno” by Karen Lunney

wildabeests, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, panic, fear, struggle for life, river crossing — *©Karen Lunney*

Join our exclusive small-group safari in Kenya to witness the thunder of the Great Migration, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra traverse the Maasai Mara, followed by a host of predators!

“Kings into the Dark” by Stanley Leroux

king penguins, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, Antarctica, white sand beaches, foreboding, ocean — *©Stanley Leroux*

Take a comprehensive Antarctic cruise featuring the wildlife-rich Falkland Islands and South Georgia, where vast colonies of King penguins reign!

“Sentry Duty” by Neil Aldridge

meerkats, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, sentry duty, Africa, openness — *©Neil Aldridge*

Kruger National Park, Sabi Sand, Mashatu and other bush veld reserves of South Africa protect an astounding diversity of big game, much of which has recovered from earlier threats to its survival. See meerkats and other native African animals in their natural habitat on our Secluded South Africa Safari!

“King Penguins and Fur Seals” by Denise Ippolito

king penguins, fur seals, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, Antarctica, white out, rocky landscape — *©Denise Ippolito*

Antarctica. The name alone is epic. No place is more synonymous with adventure, extremes, and pristine wilderness. See both fur seals and King Penguins on the mysterious continent on our Classic Antarctica Expedition!

“Heavy Rain” by Pierluigi Rizzato

cheetah, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, heavy rain, wet fur, scrubland Africa — *©Pierluigi Rizzato*

Few places in the world remain as wild as they were 150 years ago, and while Africa, like the rest of the globe, has become familiar, Portions of it are evocative of an earlier era when the bush teemed with animals and a sense of nature’s immensity was palpable. That sense remains in Zambia where you can see Cheetah and other big cats in their natural habitats on our Secluded Zambia safari!

“What’s This” by Peter Mather

grizzly bears, dead salmon, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, what's this, river — *©Peter Mather*

Take an intimate small-group adventure to Alaska’s best wildlife spots, including the brown bears of Katmai and the backcountry wilderness of Denali National Park on our Ultimate Alaska Wildlife Safari!

“Apex Predators” by Justin Black

leopards, crocodiles, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, circle of life, apex predators — *©Justin Black*

Experience a classic safari encompassing the best private wildlife reserves of the Okavango and beyond to see your own apex predator in its natural environment. Experience Africa at its most authentic, with a maximum of just 8 guests on our Secluded Botswana Safari!

“Sea Lion Dreams” by Christian Vizl

sea lions, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, sea lions at play, interesting angle, dancing — *©Christian Vizl*

Make your next trip a dream come true with our small-group journey aboard a private yacht, led by our outstanding naturalist guides. Snorkel and swim with sea lions and sea turtles on our incredible Galapagos Adventure!

“Stretching” by Steven Tuengler

lions, lion stretching, stretching, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, Africa, tired, sore — *©Stephan Tuengler*

Among the world’s epic wildlife events, few can match Tanzania’s Great Migration as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra make their annual trek over the Serengeti plains in pursuit of new grass. Agile predators, such as this stretching lion, steal behind, poised to seize the young and the weak that trail the great herds. See this great event on our Tanzania Migration Photo Safari!

Because the 2014 contest is the 50th anniversary of the competition, the public is being given the power to select a “People’s Choice Award” winner. Head over to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year website, opens in new tab to cast your vote before September 5th when voting will close. The winner will be revealed in October 2014!