A striking image of a young Iberian lynx playfully tossing its prey into the air has won the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award, organisers have announced.
The photograph, titled “Flying Rodent,” was captured by Austrian wildlife photographer Josef Stefan and selected as the winner after a global public vote involving more than 85,000 participants.
The competition is organised annually by the Natural History Museum in London and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious wildlife photography contests in the world.
A Rare Moment in the Wild
The award-winning image captures a young Iberian lynx in central Spain throwing a rodent into the air before eventually consuming it — behaviour that experts say is typical among the species.
Stefan spent weeks observing the elusive animal before capturing the moment.
“I never imagined that a single moment could take me this far,” Stefan said, describing the win as the highlight of his decades-long career.
He documented the lynx from a hide in Ciudad Real, watching as it played with its prey for nearly 20 minutes before eating it.
Symbol of Conservation Success
Beyond its dramatic composition, the image has also drawn attention to the remarkable recovery of the Iberian lynx, once one of the world’s most endangered mammals.
Conservation efforts over the past two decades have helped the species rebound from near extinction to a population of more than 2,000 individuals.
Experts say the photograph represents both the beauty and harsh realities of the natural world, while also highlighting the importance of sustained conservation efforts.
Global Recognition
The People’s Choice Award is part of the wider Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which attracts tens of thousands of entries from photographers across more than 100 countries.
The winning image, alongside other shortlisted photographs, will be exhibited at the Natural History Museum in London until July 2026.
Organisers say the competition continues to inspire global audiences by showcasing powerful stories from nature — from survival and adaptation to the impact of environmental change.
