Wildlife Photographer Award: Photo from Namibia 1st again

'The Aftermath' is the title of the photograph that earned Italian photographer Federico Veronesi the title of 'Wildlife Photographer 2026'. It depicts a female elephant in the Huab dry river in northwestern Namibia, carrying a dead calf. A photo taken in Namibia also took the top prize in the competition in 2025.

Every year in mid-October, the Natural History Museum in London names its 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year.' According to the press release, this year saw a "record-breaking 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories."

The winners across 19 categories "showcase powerful stories from the natural world and the urgent need to protect it." The photograph 'The Aftermath,' entered in the 'Mammals: Behaviour' category, told the most powerful story in the competition.

Is the elephant calf dead? Is AI involved?

'The Aftermath'. This photograph earned Italian photographer Federico Veronesi the top prize in the 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' 2026 competition. The elephant cow in the Huab dry river in northwestern Namibia carries a dead calf.  Source: Natural History Museum, London.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. 'The Aftermath' by Veronesi proves that this adage is only half the truth. For as evocative and moving as the captured moment may be, the image cries out for context – for words to tell the story.

Even upon closer inspection, one might mistake it for a playful scene. The calf clinging to its mother's trunk, letting itself be carried for a few steps. It is only the accompanying text that reveals the truth: the calf is dead.

"So how is that adult holding the dead baby? Where's the grip? AI", reads one comment on the photo post on the 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' Facebook page. "The calf's leg is wedged between the mother's tusk and trunk", another user replies. She is likely referring to the calf's front right leg and the cow's left tusk – neither of which is visible.

An admin clarifies: "This is a real photograph. AI is not permitted in our competition. Every image awarded is checked for AI and digital manipulation including examination of RAW/original files by independent image analysts."

Is the elephant cow the mother of the dead calf?

Veronesi shared his photographs with 'Elephant Human Relations Aid' (EHRA), an organisation active in the area (see BBC report). One of the photos shows how the cow carries the dead calf. Christin Winter, head of the conservation program at EHRA, identified the elephant: She was not the calf's mother.

According to Winter, the elephant is 14 years old and lost her own calf two years ago. She has been observed on four separate occasions carrying stillborn calves of other female elephants. Winter notes that this is the first time such behaviour has been documented in this region.

Veronesi was able to capture these images thanks to his keen eye and curiosity. He was in the Huab Valley to photograph 'desert-adapted' elephants when he noticed unusual drag marks in the sand. These led him to the elephant carrying the dead calf.

The encounter left a deep impression on him. As noted in the BBC report, he hopes his photograph will encourage people to perceive animals as individuals with their own relationships, memories, and emotions. In a video clip for the competition, he says: "It's like an open window into the soul of the elephants."

The exhibition for the competition opens today at the Natural History Museum. Further award-winning photos can be seen in the BBC report.

Incidentally, this is the second consecutive time that a photograph from Namibia has received the top honour at the 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' awards. In 2025, the winning entry featured a brown hyena in Kolmanskop, in southwestern Namibia.

'Ghost Town Visitor', the top prize winner of the 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' 2025 competition. This photograph shows a brown hyena in the abandoned diamond-mining settlement of Kolmanskop in southwestern Namibia. It was taken by South African photographer Wim van den Heever.  Source: Natural History Museum, London.