Photograph of elephant carrying dead calf wins top wildlife photography award

A photograph of a female elephant carrying a dead calf has won the overall title at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Titled “The Aftermath”, the image was taken by Italian photographer Federico Veronesi in Namibia’s Huab River Valley. The Natural History Museum in London, which organises the annual competition, announced the winner on Tuesday.

Veronesi had been tracking a group of elephants when he noticed unusual drag marks on the ground. Following them, he caught up with a family group and saw a female carrying the calf, whose leg was caught between her tusk and trunk.

The photograph captures behaviour that raises questions about how elephants respond to death. Researchers have documented elephants vocalising around dead individuals and inspecting or handling their bones. While some scientists believe such behaviour may offer clues to elephants’ understanding of death, others interpret it as a possible expression of grief.

“This photograph works on so many levels. Emotionally it’s a gut punch, heartbreakingly poignant. Intellectually it’s proof that animals have cognition,” Kathy Moran, chair of the competition’s jury, said in a statement.