Federico Veronesi wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 for image of elephant carrying dead calf
Unbiased summary
Italian photographer Federico Veronesi won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition for a black-and-white image of a female elephant carrying a dead calf in Namibia's Huab River Valley. The elephant was later identified by researchers as a female who had previously carried dead calves. The competition received a record 65,403 entries from 121 countries. Oscar Whitfield, a 14-year-old British photographer living in Zimbabwe, won the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for a black-and-white image of a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung. The exhibition of winning images will open at the Natural History Museum in London on 16 October 2026.
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Coverage by outlet
The Guardian
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Visual showcase of winning images with minimal editorial context.
Bias
The Guardian's coverage is a photo gallery that lists the winning images and provides brief caption-style descriptions. It emphasises the breadth of categories and the exhibition details but omits the emotional quotes from the photographer and jury, as well as the record number of entries. The framing is neutral, but the lack of narrative depth means it downplays the story behind the main winning image.
BBC News
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Human-interest story focusing on the photographer's emotional experience and the scientific uncertainty about the elephant's behaviour.
Bias
The BBC provides extensive detail on Veronesi's encounter, including his initial assumption that the elephant was the mother and the researchers' correction that this was not certain. It emphasises the photographer's personal reflections and hopes for the image. While factually accurate, the BBC downplays the record number of entries and the other winning images, and it does not mention the exhibition opening date. The coverage leans towards an emotional and educational narrative.
The Independent
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Celebratory announcement of the winners, highlighting the poignancy of the main image and the record-breaking entries.
Bias
The Independent focuses on the emotional impact of the winning photograph, quoting the jury chair's description of it as a 'gut punch' and 'proof that animals have cognition.' It mentions the record number of entries and the Young Wildlife Photographer winner but omits the scientific uncertainty about the elephant's relationship to the calf (which the BBC included). The coverage is largely factual but uses emotive language that amplifies the sentimental angle.
Daily Mail
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Sensationalist and emotional framing of the winning image as 'A mother's grief', with emphasis on the poignancy and animal cognition.
Bias
The Daily Mail leads with the headline 'A mother's grief', asserting a maternal relationship that the BBC reported as uncertain. It includes the jury's quotes about the image being a 'gut punch' and 'proof that animals have cognition,' but omits any mention of the researchers' doubts about the elephant being the calf's mother. The coverage also briefly lists other winning images but focuses heavily on the emotional narrative, straying from the objective facts by presenting an unverified relationship as fact.