The Best Wildlife Pictures of 2017

Every year, thousands of photographers submit pictures to London’s Natural History Museum in hopes of being crowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year. From seals under the ice to a hungry arctic fox, 2017’s pictures are pretty amazing! Here are a few of the finalists:

Swim gym by Laurent Ballesta (France)

A mother seal and her pup play under the ice in east Antarctica. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Mammals.

Arctic treasure by Sergey Gorshkov (Russia)

A hungry arctic fox snatches an egg from a snow goose nest. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits.

Glimpse of a lynx by Laura Albiac Vilas (Spain)

A lynx living in the Sierra de Andújar natural park in Spain. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years.

Winter pause by Mats Andersson (Sweden)

A squirrel trying to keep warm on a cold winter morning. Finalist 2017, Black and White.

The insiders by Qing Lin (China)

Clown fish and the parasitic isopods that live inside their mouths. Finalist 2017, Under Water.

Bold eagle by Klaus Nigge (Germany)

A very wet bald eagle. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits

Sewage surfer by Justin Hofman (US)

A seahorse catches a ride on a floating cottonbud near Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. Finalist 2017, The Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single Image

Saguaro twist by Jack Dykinga (US)

A saguaro cacti in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert National Monument. Finalist 2017, Plants and Fungi

Bear hug by Ashleigh Scully (US)

A young brown bear cub wants to play. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years

Resplendent delivery by Tyohar Kastiel (Israel)

A male resplendent quetzal on its way to deliver food to its chicks. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Birds

The power of the matriarch by David Lloyd (New Zealand/UK)

A female elephant from Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits

Let us know which of these pictures is your favourite!