Elephant Seal Scolds Penguins in Superb Photo Shortlisted for Wildlife Award
Matt Growcoot·2026-06-22·via PetaPixel
‘Right of Way’ by John Harrison. A group of royal penguins draw the ire of an elephant seal as they walk to the shoreline, prompting them to change course.
The 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year has unveiled its shortlist — and there are some real bangers on there.
The contest takes entries from the majestic Australasian Realm, including the ANZANG bioregion consisting of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and New Guinea.
Photographers documenting nature Down Under were invited to enter across 10 categories: Animals in Nature, Animal Behavior, Botanical, Macro, Landscape, Threatened Species, Monochrome, Our Impact, Portfolio, and Junior.
The competition attracted 2,129 entries from over 500 photographers in 17 countries. PetaPixel has picked out a selection of outstanding images.
‘Spearfishing’ by David Stowe.‘Bin Turkey’ by Emma Perry.‘One in 1,000’ by Kendra Campbell.‘Penguin Poe’ by Matt Bell. “Huddled in a Zodiac boat in icy waters off the Antarctic Peninsula, I waited patiently for an Adélie penguin to propel itself from the water to the safety of an iceberg. Persistence delivered as I captured this penguin in an almost levitational-like state, as if posing for the camera.”‘In the Morning’ by Paula McManus. Mullinger Swamp is a protected area just outside of Kybybolite, near Naracoorte in South Australia.‘Resilience — A Fight for Survival’ by Matt Cornish. ‘While exploring the highlands, I witnessed a scene of pure despair and pain, a Tasmanian devil fighting against the odds to maintain existence. Ravaged with the relentless ‘devil facial tumour disease’, this animal was captured slowly consuming a wombat corpse while navigating the environmental hardships of another freezing winter.‘Caught Between Sky and Barbs’ by Jasmine Vink. An endangered spectacled flying fox fatally entangled on a barbed wire fence.‘Battling the Bushfire’ by Georgina Steytler. ‘On a hot, dry January day, a diesel water pump sparked a fire on a nearby farm. Wind swept it into the surrounding native forest, and the eucalypt oils turned the dark, billowing smoke-clouds orange. Incredibly, and bravely, a water bomber flies straight into the heart of this inferno.’‘Strutting Tern’ by Georgina Steytler.‘Oakum Boy’ by Andrew Peakcock.‘Miniscule but Deadly Dive Bomber’ by Francois Brassard. ‘This ant-decapitating fly is diving towards an ant. It aims to inject an egg into the ant’s head. The emerging grub will burrow in the ant’s head and eat it from within. Once the grub matures, it emerges and decapitates the ant, thus giving the fly its macabre name.’‘Ethereal Encounter’ by Matt Deakin. A critically endangered green sawfish swims through a shallow reef.‘The White Faced Heron’ by Bernie Shore.‘Ancient Arms’ by William Patino.
The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year is organized by the South Australian Museum (SAM) in Adelaide, where an exhibition of all 100 shortlisted images will be held starting from August 29.
The overall winner will receive $10,000 Australian ($7,000). More information and all of the shortlisted images can be found on the SAM website.
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