This year, the winners of Wildlife best photographer contest are showing again some of the incredible treasures that nature keeps hidden. Qinling monkeys from China’s forests, with their flamboyant pelage and their astonishing blue face, demanded many days to be properly photographed, whereby showing the beauty of this endangered monkey race. Some other fabulosities of nature, such as a monkey mother honoring her dead baby for weeks before eating what’s left of him, or vampire birds drinking blood when food is lacking, or even wasps which build a house as flying bulldozer, are to be seen on The Guardian’s website.

Hellbent by David Herasimtschuk, US – winner, Behaviour: amphibians and reptiles

 

 

Bloodthirsty by Thomas P Peschak, Germany/South Africa – winner, Behaviour: birds

 

 

Mud-rolling mud-dauber by Georgina Steytler, Australia – winner, Behaviour: invertebrates

 

 

Kuhirwa mourns her baby by Ricardo Núñez Montero, Spain – winner, Behaviour: mammals

 

 

Night flight by Michael Patrick O’Neill, US – winner, Underwater

 

 

The vision by Jan van der Greef, The Netherlands – winner, Black and White

 

 

The golden couple by Marsel van Oosten, The Netherlands – grand title winner, Animal portraits

 

 

Lounging leopard by Skye Meaker, South Africa – grand title winner, 15-17 years