Urban fox trots to victory in British Wildlife Photography Awards 2025

A photograph of an urban fox in Bristol city center has been revealed as the overall winner of the British Wildlife Photography Awards 2025 [BWPA]. Over 13,000 photographs were entered into the prestigious annual competition, attracting both amateur and professional entrants, all vying for the £3,500 grand prize. But it was Simon Withyman's entry (pictured above) that caught the judges' attention and took home top honors. The photograph also won the Urban Wildlife category and depicts a red fox vixen, making her way across a footbridge as high-rise buildings loom in the background.

Simon had been photographing the fox for around three years. The image was captured using a Canon EOS R5 and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM. He said: "I wanted to capture a creative environment portrait as she went about her daily routine. I was instantly drawn to the interesting perspective effect of these railings and wanted to showcase some beauty in this everyday urban scene."

BWPA 2025 hosted 10 categories in the adult competition: Animal Behaviour, Animal Portraits, Botanical Britain, Black & White, British Seasons, Coast & Marine, Habitat, Hidden Britain, Urban Wildlife, and Wild Woods. With three age groups in the competition for young wildlife photographers: 11 and Under, 12-14 years, and 15-17 years.

The competition also crowned 9-year-old Jamie Smart, Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025, for her beautiful photograph of a curlew nestled within a patch of wildflowers and grasses in Wiltshire, England. The image also topped the 11-and-under category and was captured from a car window using a Nikon Z9 and Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S. She said: "As the sun was just coming up over the hill, I noticed how it caught the dandelion clocks and lit them up like little fuzzy lamps everywhere."

John Waters used a Canon EOS 5D Mark III to capture this image of two speckled wood butterflies, which won the Animal Behaviour category. And the interesting bokeh effect was created using a very unusual lens, the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens. The photograph was captured in a woodland on the edge of Bristol. He said: "In spring, males stake out a sunny patch along a woodland path and will chase off any rival male that comes too close, usually spiraling up into the canopy. On this occasion, a prolonged chase occurred about 1.5m above the ground, and I was able to approach quite close to get several shots."

The Animal Portraits category was won by David Tipling who entered this mesmerizing panning image of a brown hare, captured with an OM System OM-1 and OM System M.Zuiko 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 IS. He says it is a homage to a linocut of a running hair by the late Robert Gillmor. David says: "I thought it would be interesting to recreate this piece of art in a photograph by using a slow shutter speed of 1/10 sec (...) It took many attempts, photographing hares as they moved up and down a field of winter wheat, but I finally achieved this image of a hare in motion."

Jacob J. Watson-Howland's minimalist photograph of a snowdrop won the Botanical Britain category. The image was captured using a Canon EOS R6 and Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM | C. Jacob says: "Thriving in woodlands, parks, and urban environments, this botanical wonder is one of Britain’s earliest blooms. Its elegant form and modest flower signal the changing seasons. This image, taken under a city streetlight with a slow shutter speed, highlights the snowdrop’s resilience and unique adaptations to Britain’s unpredictable and changing climate."

Mark Kirkland’s incredible underwater image of guillemots topped the Black & White category. He used a Nikon D500 and Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 AF DX Fisheye to capture this unique perspective. He says: “Photographing guillemots underwater is a seasonal treat for divers. In early summer, they gather in vast numbers along the cliffs of the Berwickshire coast to breed. Often drawn to divers, it is believed they mistake the rising bubbles for their primary food source – shoals of tiny sand eels. (...) I remained in one spot among the kelp at a depth of eight metres, patiently waiting for their curiosity to take hold.

Nicholas More’s motion-filled underwater photograph of a blue shark won the Coast & Marine category. The image was taken with a Nikon D850 and Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye. He says: “This slow-shutter speed portrait of a blue shark was captured 10 to 15 miles southwest of Penzance, Cornwall. Blue sharks are summer visitors to UK waters, known for their bold and curious nature, often interacting with snorkelers. (...) As apex predators, they are highly vulnerable to long-line fishing and, with no catch limits or quotas, are overexploited for their fins in the production of shark fin soup. These beautiful oceanic animals deserve our protection.”

The Habitat category was topped by Drew Buckley’s snow-covered landscape – can you spot the well-hidden mountain hare? Drew used a Canon EOS-1D X and Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, and says: "After trudging through deep snow high in the Monadhliath Mountains, Scotland, I came across a single mountain hare hunkered down in its form. Sheltered from the bitterly cold wind, it remained still, perfectly adapted to its winter landscape. I spent some time capturing different scenes and focal lengths from a distance before moving on."

This double exposure of a group of broad-bodied chasers, by Daniel Trim, won the Hidden Britain category. The image was captured using a Canon EOS 5DS and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II USM. Daniel says: "Each year in May, RSPB Ham Wall experiences a massive emergence of dragonflies, and if you arrive early enough, you can witness them roosting in the reeds in impressive groups. This particular group was climbing the reeds, preparing to warm up as the sun rose above the horizon. To create an ethereal feel, I used an in-camera double exposure – one frame sharply focused on the subject and another with a soft focus, blending detail with a dreamlike atmosphere."

The Wild Woods category went to James Roddie and this stunning landscape of Scots pine, captured in the Scottish Highlands. A Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S were used to photograph a rainbow over the Caledonian Forest. James says: "Venturing to a location I had never visited before, I was immediately drawn to the photographic potential of these old Scots pine trees. Braving heavy rain, I waited patiently, hoping for the right moment. My patience was rewarded when a sudden burst of light illuminated the trees perfectly, with a rainbow forming behind them – a fleeting but magical scene."

The 12-14 Years category was topped by this beautiful capture of a gannet in flight. A Sony A1 and Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS lens was used to freeze the seabird in motion. The Photographer, Kiran Simpson, says: "It was an incredible experience to spend my 13th birthday surrounded by the thousands upon thousands of gannets that populate Bass Rock. I was fortunate enough to capture a particularly special moment: a shard of light pierced through the cliffs just as a gannet was flying off to fish. It was a magical scene that made the day unforgettable – a birthday I’ll cherish forever."

A GoPro HERO 8 was used to capture this unconventional and astonishing POV image of a group of pigeons approaching a bag of chips. Asked about his well-deserved 15-17 Years category winner, Ben Lucas, says: "When I found a packet of fries someone had abandoned, I knew that it wouldn’t be long until it attracted opportunistic pigeons. I set up a small GoPro camera in the back of the packet, and after some very weird looks from people passing by, the birds finally started to show up. As they approached the food, I triggered the camera with voice commands so I didn’t put the birds off their meal and I pulled off this shot. Our carelessness removes the natural food for many species and provides for others. These birds are truly the vultures of the streets."

Director of BWPA, Will Nicholls, said "[The award] continues to showcase the extraordinary beauty and diversity of Britain’s natural world (...) This year’s competition not only celebrates the artistry and dedication of our photographers but also serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect these wild spaces."

The awarded images are compiled into a coffee-table hardback book published by Bird Eye Books, available via the BWPA’s website. And the 2026 competition is now open for entries, boasting a total prize fund of almost £10,000!

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