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