Current Affairs

Oscar Whitfield named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

14-10-2026 · English

Oscar Whitfield named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

Topics: Awards · 14 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

Results of the 62nd Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, run by the Natural History Museum (NHM), London, were announced on 13 Oct 2026. Oscar Whitfield, a British boy living in Zimbabwe, won Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year for 'Labour of Love', showing a dung beetle rolling a ball of dung. The overall winner was Federico Veronesi of Italy for 'The Aftermath', a female elephant carrying her dead calf in Namibia.

Key facts

Young winnerOscar Whitfield (British, lives in Zimbabwe) – 'Labour of Love' (dung beetle); 11–14 category
Overall winnerFederico Veronesi (Italy) – 'The Aftermath' (elephant, Huab River valley, Namibia)
Competition62nd edition; since 1965; Natural History Museum, London; 65,403 entries from 121 countries
Indian winnerSitaram Raul – Behaviour: Invertebrates – 'Shifting Sand' (a scorpion in the Thar Desert)
Exhibition16 Oct 2026 – 11 July 2027, NHM London

Background

  • Dung beetles roll and bury dung, helping soil fertility, seed dispersal and parasite control; some species navigate by the Milky Way. Ancient Egyptians held the 'scarab' beetle sacred.
  • Geography: Zimbabwe – capital Harare; Victoria Falls (Zambezi river) on the Zimbabwe–Zambia border. Namibia – the Namib Desert; the cheetahs brought to India in 2022 came from here.
  • The Natural History Museum, London, opened in 1881; it holds collections including Darwin's specimens.

Tamil Nadu link: no Tamil Nadu photographer was among this year's winners. Western Ghats areas of Tamil Nadu such as Mudumalai, Anamalai and Valparai are major spots for wildlife photographers.

Source: Natural History Museum press release, 13 Oct 2026; Sunday Guardian; Positive News

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