Andy Rouse / Maasai Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) silhouetted by beams of light from setting sun, Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. Winner of the African section of the Natures Best Windland Smith Rice...

Juergen & Christine Sohns / Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) on alert, Tswalu Game Reserve, South Africa

Nigel Cattlin / Leaf tipping on Rice (Oryza sativa) caused by Leaf scald (Microdochium oryzae) disease, Thailand

Espen Bergersen / Killer whales / orcas (Orcinus orca) feeding on a bait ball of Herring. Extremely cold conditions (- 15 C) with backlit ice fog. Kvanangen, Troms, Norway. January

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Red squirrel, (Sciurus vulgaris), two backlit on pine branch, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK.May

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Red squirrel, (Sciurus vulgaris), three animals backlit on pine branch, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK.May

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Crested tit (Parus cristatus) backlit on lichen-covered branch, Inshriach Forest, Scotland, UK, January.January

Ross Hoddinott / Close-up of backlit Porcelain fungus (Oudemansiella mucida) showing gills, Golith Falls, Bodin, Cornwall, UK. September.

Marie Read / Canada geese (Branta canadensis) two during territorial fight in early spring, Ithaca. New York, USA

Ralph Pace / Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas), San Diego, California

Jeff Foott / Geyser spouting, Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Jack Dykinga / Backlit silver cholla cactus (Cylindropuntia echinocarpa) surrounded by California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), beneath the eroded boulders that define the park. Joshua Tree National Park, Moja...

Sebastian Kennerknecht / South African Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa) juvenile at sunset, Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Avijan Saha/ BIA / Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) juvenile crossing road at night in headlight of car watched by people on the road, West Bengal, India

Paul Bertner / Rainforest at sunrise, Sani Lodge, Ecuador

Guy Edwardes / Puffin (Fratercula arctica) wings spread backlit, Great Saltee Island, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, June.

Andrew Parkinson / Badger (Meles meles) adult, backlit at sunset, scratching its ears, Derbyshire, UK, May. Winner of the Animal Behaviour category of the British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) Competition 2017.

Ross Hoddinott / Silver-studded blue butterflies (Plebejus argus) resting on grass and backlit by the sun, Upton Towans, Cornwall, UK. June 2017.

Ross Hoddinott / Common spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii), backlit, Volehouse nature reserve, Devon, UK, June 2017.

Paul Bertner / Dead Leaf Katydid (Orophus tessellatus) camouflaged in leaf litter, Hitoy Cerere Biological Reserve, Costa Rica

Paul Bertner / Looper Moth (Geometridae) caterpillar, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia

Steve Downer / Banded snail (Cepaea nemoralis) on rear of a backlit rose leaf, controlled conditions.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) in distance silhouetted at sunrise with clouds, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. September.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) herd at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. November.

Denis-Huot / Crowned crane (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps) pair at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. June.

Denis-Huot / Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi), at sunrise, Masai-Mara Game Reserve, Kenya. March.

Denis-Huot / Lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) flock in the mist, Lake Nakuru, Kenya. March.

Ingo Arndt / Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) silhouette, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

Ingo Arndt / Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) silhouette at sunset, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, USA, July.

Ingo Arndt / Christmas Island Red Crabs (Gecarcoidea natalis) shortly before sunrise sitting on rock ready for spawning, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, Australian Territory

Francois Savigny / Rear view of Lioness head at sunset {Panthera leo} Southern Africa 2000

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Red Squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) leaping between tree stumps, backlit in morning light .Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK, March.

Chien Lee / Graceful Madagascar Ground Gecko (Paroedura gracilis), Marojejy National Park, Madagascar

Yashpal Rathore / Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus) male bathing at sunset. Jim Corbett National Park, India. 2014

Andy Rouse / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) swimming, backlit with morning light forming a bokeh affect on the water, Wales, UK, February. Highly commended in the Habitat Category of the BWPA (British W...

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) silhouetted against setting sun, Bernard Spit, off the 1002 Area, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope, Alaska, USA, October. Vulnerable species.

Bence Mate / European otter (Lutra lutra) group with one shaking off water, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, October.

Bence Mate / European otter (Lutra lutra) two at water's edge, one shaking off water, Kiskunsagi National Park, Pusztaszer, Hungary, October.

Bence Mate / European otter (Lutra lutra) group, with one shaking off water, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, January.

Bence Mate / European otter (Lutra lutra) shaking off water, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, January.

Solvin Zankl / English oak tree (Quercus robur) in moonlight, Nauroth, Germany, February.

Espen Bergersen / Silhouette of White-tailed eagle (haliaeetus albicilla) sitting on coastal rocks, Kvaloya, Troms, Norway, October.

Wim van den Heever / Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) herd silhouetted against the rising sun with clouds in the background. Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

Wim van den Heever / Sunrise over the open plains of East Africa. Masai Mara Kenya. August 2014.

Wim van den Heever / Plains zebra (Equus quagga) at sunset, Savuti Marsh, Botswana.

Wim van den Heever / Plains zebra (Equus quagga) at sunset, Savuti Marsh, Botswana.

Wim van den Heever / Plains zebra (Equus quagga) at sunset, Savuti Marsh, Botswana.

Solvin Zankl / English oak tree (Quercus robur) silhouetted against orange sky with star trails, Nauroth, Germany, October.

Solvin Zankl / Stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) silhouetted against oak tree leaf. Elbe, Germany, June.

Markus Varesvuo / Male Black grouse (Tetrao / Lyrurus tetrix) with breath visible in cold, Liminka, Finland, March.

Erlend Haarberg / Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) on snow backlit at night, silhouetted, Vauldalen, Norway, May.

Erlend Haarberg / Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) backlit in snow, Vauldalen, Norway, May.

Erlend Haarberg / Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) backlit, Vauldalen, Norway, April.

Erlend Haarberg / Woman pulling a sledge up a slope, Rapadalen, Sarek National Park, Laponia, Sweden, March 2015.

Erlend Haarberg / Photographer silhouetted on Mt Luottotjakka overlooking the Arjep Luottojekna and Nuortap glaciers at sunset, Sarek National Park, World Heritage Laponia, Swedish Lapland, Sweden, August 2013.

Jeff Vanuga / Elk (Cervus canadensis) bull in velvet silhouetted against a setting sun, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, May.

Brent Stephenson / Sunset off Scott Island, with floating pieces of sea ice, Scott Inlet, Baffin Island, Canadian Arctic, August 2015.

Adrian Davies / Stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) male silhouetted against leaf, controlled conditions.

Franco Banfi / Schooling Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica.

Donald M. Jones / White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) buck, central Montana

Peter Lewis / Super moon rising behind Glastonbury Tor with people watching, Somerset, England, UK, 27th September 2015.

Eric Baccega / Angolan giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis) and black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) reflecting in waterhole at sunset, Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park, Namibia, Africa

Claudio Contreras / Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) silhouetted in sinkhole, Cenote Carwash, near Tulum, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, January

Claudio Contreras / Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) backlit, Isla Mujeres, Caribbean Sea, Mexico, August. Vulnerable species.

Ben Hall / Red deer stag (Cervus elaphus) silhouetted against sky at dusk, Cheshire, October 2014

Ben Hall / Eagle owl (Bubo bubo) in flight through forest, backlit at dawn, Czech Republic, November. Captive.

Edwin Giesbers / Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) two sitting close together, Gibraltar Nature Reserve, Gibraltar, June.

Wim van den Heever / Bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) porpoising during annual sardine run, Port St Johns, South Africa. June.

Paul Hobson / Glowworm (Lampyris noctiluca) at night, Cambridgeshire, England, UK, August.

Ernie Janes / Willets (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus) feeding at sunset Gulf Coast, Florida, USA, March.

Philippe Clement / Silhouette of Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) against thunderstorm clouds, Italian Alps, Gran Paradiso National Park, June, digital composite

Sven Zacek / Male Ural owl (Strix uralensis) flying to nest to feed female, Southern Estonia, March.

Nuno Sa / Long snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) in captive breeding laboratory at University of Algarve, Portugal. June 2010. Overall winner of the Underwater Photographer of the Year competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Leafcutter ants (Atta sp) colony harvesting a banana leaf, Costa Rica. 3rd place in the Insects and Spiders category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competitions 2015.

Bence Mate / Great egrets (Ardea alba) and Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) squabbling over fish, with some in flight. Blurred motion photograph, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. February.

Bence Mate / Little egret (Egretta garzetta) shaking water off wings at sunset, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary. May. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Bence Mate / Great white egret (Ardea alba) silhouetted at sunset, Lake Csaj, Pusztaszer, Hungary, February. Winner of the Portfolio category of the Terre Sauvage Nature Images Awards competition 2015.

Danny Green / White-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in flight at sunset, Norway, August

Alex Mustard / Red eye medusa (Polyorchis penicillatus) with hitchhiking amphipods (Hyperia medusarum). Browning Pass, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. North East Pacific Ocean.

Alex Mustard / Backlit detail of branching fire coral (Millepora alcicornis) showing the hair like polyps, filled with stinging nematocysts. East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Caribbean Sea.

Alex Mustard / Yellowbelly hamlets (Hypoplectrus aberrans) pair spawning at dusk (artifically backlit). Hamlets are hermaphroditic species. George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. Caribbean Sea.

Fabrice Cahez / Morning mist over the countryside, Aubrac, France, July 2015.

Sharon Heald / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) herd silhouetted at sunset, Chobe National Park, Botswana.

Espen Bergersen / Two Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhychus) Svalbard, Norway, April.

Alex Hyde / Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) backlit at sunset. Isle of Mull, Scotland. June. Highly commended in the Botanical Britain Category of the British Widllife Photography Awards (BWPA) Competi...

Edwin Giesbers / Crested newt (Triturus carnifex) Gelderland, The Netherlands, April. Winner of the Amphibians category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards (WPOY) Competition 2015. Winner of the Underwater...

Angelo Gandolfi / White stork (Ciconia ciconia), nesting colony to provide alternative nesting area whilst the building they normally nest on is under repair. Extremadura, Spain, April.

Richard Du Toit / Impala (Aepyceros melampus) leaping, silhouetted at dawn, Itala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Richard Du Toit / Black wildebeest (Connochaetus gnou) bull silhouetted at dawn, Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Andy Rouse / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus cristatus) courtship dance Cardiff, UK, March.

Andy Rouse / Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) silhouetted at sunset, Galapagos.

Andy Rouse / Sunrise in forest, silhouetting trees. Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, India.

Andy Rouse / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus cristatus) courtship dance, Cardiff, UK, March.

Konrad Wothe / Starry night sky over the scientific research station in Panguana Reserve, Huanuca province, Amazon basin, Peru.

Konrad Wothe / View up into canopy with sun rays shining through the leaves, lowland rainforest, Panguana Reserve, Huanuco province, Amazon basin, Peru.

Staffan Widstrand / Great white egret (Egretta alba or Ardea alba) catching cyprionid fish or carp in fish farm, Pusztaszer Protected Landscape, Kiskunsagi, Hungary, May