On 23 February, the World Nature Photography Awards announced its 2026 World Nature Photographer of the Year winner. The prize includes a $1,000 cash award, along with prestigious recognition in the field.
The winner was the Australian photographer Jono Allen, who has captured one of the most extraordinary wildlife images of recent years – a breathtaking photograph of a rare white humpback whale calf named Mãhina alongside her mother in the tropical waters off Vava’u, Tonga.
Albinism in humpback whales is extremely rare, occurring in only about 1 in 40,000 individuals, which makes Allen’s image significant on a scientific scale. The photograph not only exposes the deep bond between mother and calf but also symbolises resilience and hope, as a reminder of the success of humpback whale conservation efforts after decades of commercial whaling nearly drove the species to the brink of extinction.
Allen described the moment as “a memory that will live with me forever”, by which he exposes the emotional impact of witnessing such a unique scene. This image stood out among thousands of entries from photographers across more than 50 countries, making this even more special and remarkable.
Other entries include Schroeders’ a young gorilla captivated by a yellow butterfly, a brown bear hunting salmon in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, Jan’s shot of a turtle surrounded by fish, and many more.
The World Nature Photographer of the Year title is the highest honour awarded by the World Nature Photography Awards, a global photography competition celebrating the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Now in its seventh year, the contest draws thousands of submissions from photographers across the world, which all aim to capture striking images that highlight both the magesty and the fragility of planet Earth.
