Spectacular Winning Images From The Ecology Photo Contest 2025

Overall Winner: “Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly” by Zeke Rowe

Nature’s indifference is exactly what gives these photographs their power, and the 2025 Capturing Ecology Photo Contest from the British Ecological Society puts that truth on full display.

The winning shot—a calm American crocodile staring straight into the lens while horse flies feed on its snout—perfectly embodies the contest’s raw, unfiltered spirit. Chosen from more than 1,100 global submissions, the 27 winning images span every continent and reveal everything from delicate plant life to dominant predators and microscopic organisms. This year also brought unprecedented collaboration, with conservation‑focused partners like ZSL, Plantlife, the Soil Association, iNaturalist, and NHBS helping elevate the contest into a broader ecological dialogue. More than beautiful, these photos serve as a reminder that ecology is alive, present, and deeply intertwined with our own existence.

More: British Ecological Society, Instagram

Animals Winner: “Wallace’s Flying Frog” by Jamal Kabir

Ecologists in Action Winner: “Ready for Everything” by Roberto García-Roa

Interactions Winner: “Lioness One Eye Behind Birds” by Willem Kruger

Nature, Food and Farming Winner: “Jute Processing” byJoy Saha

Mobile Ecology Winner: “Amanita Nothofagi” by Hui Syn Chan

People and Nature Winner: “Unusual Backdrop” by Guido Villani

Plants and Fungi Winner: “Miniature Encounter” by Francisco Gamboa

Up Close Winner: “Emerging Life” by Sritam Kumar Sethy

Ecologists’ Choice Winner: “The False Eye” by Sritam Kumar Sethy

Animals: “Path of the Panther” by Brandon Guell

Animals: “Prairie Chicken Jump-Off” by Peter Hudson

Animals: “On the Hunt” by Guillaume Lespagnol

Animals: “Silence in Ambush” by Jamal Kabir

Nature, Food and Farming: “Green Sheen” by Oliver Thomas

Ecologists in Action: “A Fistful of Frogs” by Ryan Wagner

Interactions: “Jackal Close Catch Eye” by Ryan Wagner

Interactions: “Hanging in the Balance” by Stewart Finlayson

Nature, Food and Farming: “Catch of the Day” by Joy Saha

Plants and Fungi: “Woodland Gems” by Ben James

People and Nature: “Painted Rattle” by Ryan Wagner

Plants and Fungi: “Not a Red Flag” by Roberto García-Roa

Plants and Fungi: “Glass Vases” by Willow Bloomfield

Up Close: “Dune” by Ben James

Ecologists in Action: “Bighorn Swab and Go” by Peter Hudson

People and Nature: “Fading Giants” by Ashane Marasinghe

Ecologists in Action: “Intertidal Education” by Liam Brennan