Entrants in this year’s contest were invited to submit images showcasing life on Earth, and illustrating some of the many threats that our planet faces. Images from this gallery were originally published in bioGraphic, an independent magazine about nature and conservation powered by the California Academy of Sciences, and media partner of the BigPicture Photography Competition. The organizers have once again shared some of the winners and finalists here. The captions were written by the bioGraphic editorial staff and edited for style.
The Stoat’s Game – Terrestrial Life Finalist. In the pre-dawn hours of a cold winter morning in the French Alps, photographer Jose Grandío lay still in the snow, waiting for a stoat (Mustela erminea) to emerge from its burrow. Shortly after the sun rose, the stoat climbed out and proceeded to put on a spectacular show. “He seemed to be playing with the fresh snow that had just fallen, making sudden jumps and crawling through the snow,” recalled Grandío. The stoat leapt and danced for about half an hour before returning to his den for the rest of the day.
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Jose Grandío / BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition)
