First 2016 Wildlife Photographer of the Year images revealed

A curious fox cub, hungry hornbill and inquisitive orca all play a starring role in images from the finalists of Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s fifty-second competition.

The world-renowned exhibition opens on 21 October at the Natural History Museum in London, which runs the annual competition.

These images and more are available to download for print and online use. Please contact wildpress@nhm.ac.uk for access.
Please contact wildpress@nhm.ac.uk for the password. 

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is a global platform for the world’s best nature photography, showcasing the planet’s most extraordinary and revelatory sights. This year’s competition was the most competitive to date - attracting almost 50,000 entries from professionals and amateurs across 95 countries.  

Judged by a panel of international experts, winning images are selected for their creativity, originality and technical excellence. 

The exhibition will feature the highly-anticipated collection of 100 exceptional images, revealing the astonishing diversity of life on our planet and highlighting our crucial role in protecting it.  

The images will also embark on an international tour spanning six continents, bringing the majesty and wonder of the natural world to millions. 

Exhibition information

Dates and times:  Friday 21 October 2016 – Sunday 10 September 2017   10.00–17.50 (last admission 17.15)

To book tickets:  www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy Prices:  Adult from £12*, child and concession from £7.50*, family (up to two adults and three children) from £30*. See www.nhm.ac.uk for full pricing.  Free for Members, Patrons and children under four

Visitor enquiries:  020 7942 5000

Nearest tube:   South Kensington  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildlifephotographeroftheyear
Twitter: @NHM_WPY
Instagram: @nhm_wpy    

* These are Gift Aid prices and include an optional donation to the Museum. 

Exhibition sponsors
DONG Energy  DONG Energy (NASDAQ OMX: DENERG) is one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe, headquartered in Denmark. Around 6,700 ambitious employees, including over 700 in the UK, are engaged in developing, constructing and operating offshore wind farms; generating power and heat from our power stations; providing energy to residential and business customers on a daily basis; and producing oil and gas. Group revenue was DKK 71bn (EUR 9.5bn) in 2015. For further information, see www.dongenergy.co.uk or follow @DONGEnergyUK on Twitter. 

Notes for editors
Images are available to download for print and online use. Please contact wildpress@nhm.ac.uk for access.
Please credit © <Photographer’s name/Wildlife Photographer of the Year>

• The collection will be displayed in the Museum’s East Pavilion Gallery this year, a new home for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. This is an opportunity to see the images in a fresh setting with a new layout. If you would like to review the exhibition, please contact Zoë Stanton at the Natural History Museum Press Office (contact details above). 
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year was founded in 1965 by BBC Wildlife Magazine, then called Animals. The Natural History Museum joined forces in 1984 to create the competition as it is known today. The competition is now run and owned by the Natural History Museum. For more information go to www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com.
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio 26, edited by Rosamund Kidman-Cox, is published by the Natural History Museum on 19 October 2016.
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year: The Masters of Nature Photography: Volume Two is published by the Natural History Museum in September 2016.
• The Natural History Museum welcomes more than five million visitors a year and is a worldleading science research centre. Through its unique collection and unrivalled expertise it is tackling the biggest challenges facing the world today. It helps enable food security, eradicate disease and manage resource scarcity. It is studying the diversity of life and the delicate balance of ecosystems to ensure the survival of our planet. For more information go to www.nhm.ac.uk 

Media contact
For a wider selection of images or to arrange interviews with photographers or spokespeople, please contact Zoë Stanton at the Natural History Museum Press Office. 

Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5156
Mobile: +44 (0)7799 690151
Email: wildpress@nhm.ac.uk