In brief
Italian photographer Federico Veronesi won the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year award with a striking image of an elephant carrying a deceased calf’s body. Captured in Namibia’s Huab River Valley, the photo shows a gray mammal lifting the limp calf with its trunk, a scene that speaks volumes about compassion and community in the wild. After consulting local researchers, Veronesi confirmed the adult could be a former mother who has cared for the corpses of other calves, highlighting a complex social behaviour rarely seen by the public. The image’s impact extends beyond its artistic merit: it urges viewers to recognise animals as individuals with profound emotional lives. The annual exhibition opens at the Natural History Museum on 16 October 2026, inviting Londoners to witness this heart‑wrenching world in person.
Italian photographer Federico Veronesi has been crowned the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year after his evocative image of an African elephant carrying a dead calf’s body won the public award. Published by the Natural History Museum, the photo depicts a gray mammal holding the limp carcass of a calf with dignity amid the dusty plains of Namibia’s Huab River Valley.
Veronesi first spotted the scene while tracking elephants near the dry riverbed. Traces of drag marks led him to the powerful animal, whose trunk lifted the little life behind her shoulders. He shared the picture with local researchers; they confirmed that the leading elephant was a lady who had lost her calf years earlier and was known to lift fallen calves of other elephants—a behaviour still rarely documented in the wild.
For the photographer, the moment was “the most heart‑wracking and fascinating” of his 20‑year career, illustrating the depth of emotion in animal species. He hopes the image will help people look beyond physical forms and see elephants and other wildlife as complex survivors with memories and relationships.
The winner’s photo is ready to be viewed at the exhibit that opens on 16 October at the Natural History Museum. Visitors are encouraged to explore the exhibition and to share their impressions via the museum’s interactive app, adding their voices to the ongoing conversation about empathy, conservation and the unseen lives of wildlife.
By Maddie Molloy & Alex Brian, Climate & Science team
