Cunning City Fox Takes Home the 2025 British Wildlife Photography Awards

# **2025 British Wildlife Photography Awards: Showcasing the Splendor of Urban and Natural Environments**

The 2025 **British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA)** highlighted the remarkable skills of photographers capturing the beautiful and varied wildlife in Britain. Triumphing over **13,000 submissions**, Simon Withyman’s poignant photograph of a red fox traversing the streets of Bristol not only earned him the accolade of **British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025** but also won the **Urban Wildlife category award**. His captivating image, titled *“Urban Explorer”*, depicted a savvy vixen adapting to city life, emphasizing the tenacity of wild creatures in urban settings.

## **Top Honor Goes to a City-Navigating Red Fox**

Based in Bristol, **Simon Withyman** spent three years documenting the life of a female red fox (*Vulpes vulpes*). His photograph depicts the fox maneuvering through metal railings in search of food amidst urban challenges. The city backdrop adds a unique charm to the shot, showcasing the **versatility of wildlife within human habitats**.

*”Over the course of about three years, I captured images of this vixen and tracked her movements across the city. It was surprising to see her covering vast distances, frequently exceeding a mile from her home range. In the urban jungle, this translates to navigating numerous roads, risks, and other fox territories,”* Withyman recounted.

His commitment to wildlife photography—a part-time endeavor alongside wedding shoots—has been richly rewarded with this notable recognition.

## **Emerging Talent Shines**
While Withyman took home the highest honor, the **youth competition** also revealed exceptional talent. Just 9 years old, **Jamie Smart** was awarded **Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025** for her delightful image of a *Eurasian curlew* (*Numenius arquata*) amidst dandelions bathed in soft morning light. Smart’s composition, depth of field, and natural lighting skills reflect her budding photographic talent.

## **Honoring Britain’s Abundant Biodiversity**
The British Wildlife Photography Awards, organized on an annual basis, aim to celebrate and safeguard Britain’s breathtaking natural life. Competition director, **Will Nicholls**, underscored the importance of photography for conservation:

*”The British Wildlife Photography Awards continues to showcase the magnificent beauty and variety of Britain’s natural world. This year’s contest not only honors the creativity and devotion of our photographers but also serves as a significant reminder of the duty we have to protect these wild spaces. We aspire that this collection inspires others to value, respect, and preserve the wildlife that makes Britain truly special.”*

The competition covered **10 categories**, such as **Coast & Marine, Animal Behavior, Black & White, and Wild Woods**, each revealing stunning interactions between wildlife and their surroundings.

## **Spotlighting Nature’s Marvels: Category Winners**
Alongside Withyman’s award-winning photograph, several other remarkable images gained recognition:

### **1. Habitat Winner – “Kingdom of the Hare” by Drew Buckley**
– **Subject**: *Mountain hare* (*Lepus timidus*)
– **Location**: Highlands, Scotland
– **Story**: Buckley captured a lone mountain hare nestled in deep snow, showcasing its **natural camouflage and winter endurance**.

### **2. Animal Portraits Winner – “Hare in Motion” by David Tipling**
– **Subject**: *Brown hare* (*Lepus europaeus*)
– **Location**: Norfolk, England
– **Story**: Inspired by artist Robert Gillmor, Tipling employed a **1/10 sec slow shutter speed** to illustrate the hare’s rapid movement, showcasing its **elegance and speed** in a captivating multi-exposure format.

### **3. Coast & Marine Winner – “Blue Shark” by Nicholas More**
– **Subject**: *Blue shark* (*Prionace glauca*)
– **Location**: Penzance, Cornwall
– **Story**: This stunning slow-shutter speed portrait captures one of Britain’s most **enigmatic ocean predators**, raising awareness about its vulnerable status due to overfishing.

### **4. Wild Woods Winner – “Storm Light Over the Caledonian Forest” by James Roddie**
– **Subject**: *Scots pine* (*Pinus sylvestris*)
– **Location**: Glen Strathfarrar, Scotland
– **Story**: A **magical interplay of light and stormy clouds** illuminated ancient Scots pines at the right moment, creating a stunning contrast between **dark skies and golden rays**.

### **5. Animal Behavior Winner – “Butterfly Face-off” by John Waters**
– **Subject**: *Speckled wood butterfly* (*Pararge aegeria*)
– **Location**: Bristol, England
– **Story**: