Photographer wins People's Choice Award

Daniel Sexton - BBC News, South East
·1 min read
An ambling Eurasian badger, illuminated by a streetlight, appears to glance up at badger graffiti on a quiet road
Ian Wood's picture was the winning shot after more than 76,000 votes were registered [Natural History Museum/Ian Wood]

A photo of a badger captured glancing up at graffiti in East Sussex has won the public vote for Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

The shot - taken by British photographer Ian Wood - came in first for the people's choice award this year, beating 25 shortlisted images, the Natural History Museum said.

A record 76,000 votes from across the world were counted to find the winner this year, the museum said.

The photographer said that winning the award has been "truly humbling".

The winning image was captured after St Leonards-on-Sea residents started leaving food scraps on the pavement for foxes.

Mr Wood saw that badgers from a nearby sett were also coming to forage.

Seeing one walking along the pavement by his wall one night, he set up a small hide on the edge of the road to capture the animal reaching for food, illuminated only by light from a lamppost.

Dr Douglas Gurr, the museum's director, said: "Ian's flawlessly timed image offers a unique glimpse of nature's interaction with the human world, underscoring the importance of understanding urban wildlife.

"His exceptional photograph serves as a powerful reminder that local nature and wildlife, often just outside our homes, can inspire and captivate us."

Mr Wood's photograph, as well as four other highly commended images, will be displayed both online and on the interactive voting screens at the Natural History Museum until the end of June.

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