What the judges really think of your photos | October

Want to get ahead in the Sunday Times Wilderness Photograph of the Year competition? Take a tour of the judges’ brains – and find out how they rated each of October’s top 10 shots in the Endangered Africa and Wildlife Behaviour categories

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Entries in this category tell a moving story about the fragile nature of Africa’s rare or endangered wild landscapes, animals and plants. Images are scored on technical proficiency, artistic value, power of the message, uniqueness of the sighting, ethical value and overall impact.

OCTOBER WINNER: A ground pangolin (pictured above) captured by a lion pride in Tswalu, Kalahari. Pangolins are the world’s most illegally trafficked animal. Pictured is its defence, rolling into a ball, to keep its delicate underparts protected by its impenetrable scales. “It is rare to see a pangolin, but to see one beating the attack of Africa's largest predator was special indeed,” says photographer Lance van de Vyver.

THE JUDGES SAID: A picture that says so much about threatened wildlife, contained in the pangolin’s fight to not be prey. So often this kind of encounter is people’s first with a pangolin and there is very little you actually see of the creature.

This image is dramatically different, showing an incredible angle that captures the animal’s defensive posture in the tightly curled ball. The eye is drawn to the circle created by the pangolin’s body shape, only to discover the deadly curious lion, bringing an element of uncertainty to the outcome.

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SECOND SPOT: One of the world’s rarest reptiles, the plain mountain adder (Bitis inornata) is an endangered dwarf adder endemic to South Africa. Only eight wild specimens, most of which are now preserved in alcohol as museum samples, have ever been found. This individual was photographed in the Eastern Cape (exact location withheld).

THE JUDGES SAID: Striking interpretation seemingly straight out of a Harry Potter movie. The adder’s strongly textured scaling, coiled pose and menacing eye combine to give it powerful impact.

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THIRD SPOT: Sudan, the last northern white male rhino on the planet. There are only three individuals of this subspecies left: Sudan and two females, with whom mating has failed. The elderly Sudan, now in his 40s, spends his last days under 24-hour armed guard at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya. This subspecies once ranged in Uganda, Chad, Sudan, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo before being wiped out by poaching.

THE JUDGES SAID: A sombre, powerful image that – once you know it is the northern subspecies of white rhino – tells a really poignant story about the impact of our own species. Good use of side-lighting shows off this rhino in a gentle and approachable way. The low light and cracked face tell their own story.

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FOURTH SPOT: “On a walking safari in the Pafuri region, Kruger National Park, we came across this old elephant carcass,” says Chris Renshaw. “Apparently a poachers’ snare had ended this unfortunate elephant’s life. This image conveys the despair that the brutal practice of snaring causes for animals across Africa.”

THE JUDGES SAID: The conversion to black and white increases the impact. A sensitive image that captures the tragedy of indiscriminate snaring. A moody shot that can be interpreted in different ways, including that these animals are seriously threatened.

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FIFTH SPOT: A majestic elephant bull in a magical part of Kruger National Park – Pafuri. The elephant stands beneath the trees, his beauty framed by theirs. The region offers around 80% of the park’s diversity in one area – yet, the photographer notes, it is undervisited compared with the south.

THE JUDGES SAID: This species is incredibly threatened by changing land use and shrinking habitat, yet the vast majority of people in Lesotho and South Africa are unaware of the degree of threat. Wonderfully isolated subject, adding strong impact and drama.

sub_head_start WILDLIFE BEHAVIOUR sub_head_end

Entries in this category shine a spotlight on the extraordinary (and often secret) lives of wild animals, aquatic life, birds or insects. Images are scored on technical proficiency, artistic value, power of the message, uniqueness of the sighting, ethical value and overall impact.

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OCTOBER WINNER: “Observing a troop of baboons near Phalaborwa, Kruger National Park, I noticed a very tiny baby, probably born in the past 12 hours,” says Lisl Moolman. “The interaction between mother and baby was fascinating. She looked down at her newborn for long periods, while other troop members slowly approached the pair and stared at the baby, almost as if in awe.

THE JUDGES SAID: Lovely composition, lighting and textures. Good use of colour and leading lines. Beautiful contrast emphasising new life and the vulnerability of youth. An intimate image that relies on colour and the delicate shape of the baby’s hand to speak of the bond between a mother and her young.

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SECOND SPOT: “The dominant black-maned male of the Busanga pride, Kafue National Park, had stolen a puku off a female,” says Graham Wood. “The cubs watched helplessly, and his eyes told the entire story. No family when it comes to feeding time with lions.”

THE JUDGES SAID: This image is brought to life by the cold fire in the male lion’s eyes. Carefully composed, the space between the dominant male and the younger cats in the foreground is vital. It is particularly moving how the two cubs are huddled together in front of the adult male’s piercing gaze. If looks could kill …

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THIRD SPOT: This rare, vulnerable flightless dung beetle (Circellium bacchus) is endemic to only a few areas in South Africa, including the Addo Elephant National Park, where this image was taken. It can bury dung 250 times heavier than itself in one night. The female uses the dung to build a brood ball, in which a single egg is laid. She rolls the ball with her powerful hind legs, as seen here.

THE JUDGES SAID: Beautiful colour and light, excellent isolation and pin-sharp focus. The low-angle treatment puts us in the beetle's world. The image’s desaturated look strikes a pleasing tone.

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FOURTH SPOT: The metamorphosis of a moulting cricket, Wits Rural Facility, Bushbuckridge, Gauteng.

THE JUDGES SAID: Great macro image. The lighting is perfect and the subject spellbinding.

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FIFTH SPOT: Isla de los Lobos (Sea Lion Island), Ushuaia, Argentina, is situated in the Beagle Channel. The island is populated by both South American sea lions and fur seals. “A typically windy day out in the channel, with Tierra del Fuego in the back,” says Werner Kruse.

THE JUDGES SAID: Rich blues contrast well with the golds and browns of the seals and sea lions. The lighting is wonderful, as is the mood of the sunlit rock in that stormy blue sea. Makes you think of the island as a real shelter from the elements even though we know it's not. Dramatic work.

Enter your photographs in the Sunday Times Wilderness Photograph of the Year competition and you could win your share of R600,000 in safaris, camera gear and cash prizes.