MEMORIAL TO A SPECIES
It shatters the viewer's emotions like a grenade: the gruesome image of a black rhino with its horn hacked off. In death its expression is fixed as one of reproach and defeat; of being the latest victim of the only species capable of savaging another sentient being solely for profit. Poachers killed the animal at night with a silencer before butchering it.
South African-born photographer Brent Stirton was this week awarded the wildlife photographer of the year title for this image. The award is the most prestigious for wildlife photographers. The image was taken in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. Stirton has spent more than five years tracking the continuing atrocity and visited more than 30 such crime scenes.CRAB SURPRISE
Out of the blue, a mass of giant spider crabs the size of a football field wandered past Justin Gilligan of Australia who was documenting an experiment to transplant kelp. A Maori octopus seemed equally delighted with the unexpected bounty. It was having trouble choosing and catching a crab.STUCK IN
This photograph of a female American red fox was the winning image by Ashleigh Scully of the US in the 11- to 14-year-old category. The fox was hunting in Yellowstone National Park. It dived into a snowdrift while trying to capture a vole - unsuccessfully.THE GOOD LIFE
Daniël Nelson from the Netherlands won Young Wildlife photographer in the 15- to 17-year-old category with this image of a young western lowland gorilla feeding on breadfruit in Odzala National Park in the Republic of Congo. Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered.CONTEMPLATION
Peter Delaney, also based in South Africa, won the animal portrait category. Delaney had spent a long, difficult morning tracking chimpanzees through Uganda's Kibale National Park. Totti was busy with a vigorous courtship ritual. When he finally flopped down, worn out by unrequited love, Delaney had his chance to take his winning photograph...