The most popular wildlife photos of the year include a moose stare-down, a shark smorgasbord, and a lynx playdate

Aylin WoodwardDec 2, 2020, 22:55 IST

A moose at Antelope Flats in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.Guillermo Esteves/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The London Natural History Museum's annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition offers the public a chance to vote on their favorite images from the contest.
The leading photographs show an Iberian lynx along a Spanish highway, a civet cat taking a backpack ride in India, and an animal rescuer caring for orphaned bats in Australia.
Here are the frontrunners for the 2020 people's choice awards contest.

On the side of the road in Grand Teton National Park, a bull moose and a dog engaged in a stare-down.

Photographer Guillermo Esteves had been hoping simply to snap a picture of the moose, but couldn't resist capturing this tense moment on camera. The car's owner — and furry co-pilot — were forced to wait until the moose lost interest and moved off the road.

Esteves' image is among the most popular wildlife photos of 2020.

Each year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest offers a peek into the lives of species around the world. The competition is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London. It aims to award photographers whose work inspires us to consider our place in the natural world and our responsibility to protect it.

This year, photographers from 25 countries submitted 50,000 entries. Contest judges announced a group of winners in October, but now the public gets to choose favorites.

The contest organizers curated a shortlist of front-runners for these people's choice awards. Many of the images — including shots of an endangered Iberian lynx along a highway, a civet cat taking a backpack ride in India, and an animal rescuer caring for orphaned bats in Australia — throw into sharp relief the relationships between animal species and the humans around them.

Voting is open through February 2, after which the winners will be announced.

Below are 20 leading photographs from this year's people's choice awards contest.

Some of this year's leading photos showcase the bond between people and the animals they care for.

Joseph Wachira comforts Sudan, the last male northern white rhino left on the planet, at Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya. Ami Vitale/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Julie Malherb, the wildlife rescuer and "bat woman" featured in this photo, cares for orphaned flying-foxes.

Wildlife rescuer Julie Malherb takes a call while looking after three grey-headed flying-foxes in Australia. Douglas Gimesy/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The relationship between Russian bear trainer Grant Ibragimov and his animals is more complicated.

Bear trainer Grant Ibragimov with his bears at the Saint Petersburg State Circus in Russia. Kirsten Luce/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This orphaned civet kitten grew up in a remote Indian village, where locals have kept it company.

An Asian palm civet kitten peeps from a bag in remote India. Pallavi Prasad Laveti/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Not all of this year's photos show live animals.

A zebra head confiscated at a US border check point. Britta Jaschinski/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Humans — drivers, not hunters — also kill lynx like the one pictured here. More than 34 were run over in 2019 near where photographer Sergio Marijuán Campuzano took this shot.

A female Iberian lynx near a highway in Jaen, Spain. Sergio Marijuán Campuzano/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Humans — drivers, not hunters — also kill lynx like the one pictured here. More than 34 were run over in 2019 near where photographer Sergio Marijuán Campuzano took this shot.

Some Iberian lynx are thriving, though, like these two kittens, Quijote and Queen.

Two Iberian lynx kittens play in a hayloft in Sierra Morena, Spain. Sergio Marijuán Campuzano/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Many of the frontrunner photos showcase animals going about their regular routines.

Two European beavers near Grimma, in Saxony, Germany. Oliver Richter/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This photo shows two red Eurasian squirrels (one is obscured by his nest buddy) sleeping soundly.

Sleeping Eurasian red squirrels in a nest in the Scottish Highlands, UK. Neil Anderson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Not all animals in the Scottish highlands get so lucky, though.

A mountain hare near Tomatin in the Scottish Highlands, UK. Andy Parkinson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Photographer Frédéric Larrey also braved chilly weather to take this photo on the Tibetan plateau.

A snow leopard cub on the Tibetan plateau. Frédéric Larrey/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Snow leopards aren't the only big cats that climb among the rocks.

A huge male lion lying on a rock in the Serengeti plains of Tanzania. Wim van den Heever/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Emmanuel Rondeau got a pleasant surprise when he found a shot of this curious takin among the photos in his camera trap high in the Bhutanese mountains.

A takin from the Bhutanese mountains. Emmanuel Rondeau/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This photo of a coconut octopus shows how the eight-armed swimmers are smart and resourceful.

A coconut octopus in the waters of the Lembeh Strait in Sulawesi. Sam Sloss/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This swimmer makes no attempt to hide.

A Japanese warbonnet fish from the Gulf of Oprichnik in the Sea of Japan. Andrey Shpatak/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Grey reef sharks prefer to eat fish.

Two grey reef sharks munch on grouper fish in the waters of the Fakarava Atoll in French Polynesia. Laurent Ballesta/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Polar bears hunt solo. It took this bear several tries to finally catch a barnacle goose in Svalbard, Norway.

A polar bear hunts barnacle geese in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Petri Pietiläinen/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Some animals aren't bothered by proximity to people, and even take advantage of it.

A long-nosed dragon in the Great Sandy Desert of western Australia. Gary Meredith/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Burrowing owls like these love to take up residence in meticulously manicured lawns on Florida's Marco Island.

Burrowing owls on Marco Island, Florida. Karine Aigner/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

California, too, is home to burrowing owl families.

A family of burrowing owls in Ontario, California. Andrew Lee/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

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The most popular wildlife photos of the year include a moose stare-down, a shark smorgasbord, and a lynx playdate

Some of this year's leading photos showcase the bond between people and the animals they care for.

Julie Malherb, the wildlife rescuer and "bat woman" featured in this photo, cares for orphaned flying-foxes.

The relationship between Russian bear trainer Grant Ibragimov and his animals is more complicated.

This orphaned civet kitten grew up in a remote Indian village, where locals have kept it company.

Not all of this year's photos show live animals.

Humans — drivers, not hunters — also kill lynx like the one pictured here. More than 34 were run over in 2019 near where photographer Sergio Marijuán Campuzano took this shot.

Some Iberian lynx are thriving, though, like these two kittens, Quijote and Queen.

Many of the frontrunner photos showcase animals going about their regular routines.

This photo shows two red Eurasian squirrels (one is obscured by his nest buddy) sleeping soundly.

Not all animals in the Scottish highlands get so lucky, though.

Photographer Frédéric Larrey also braved chilly weather to take this photo on the Tibetan plateau.

Snow leopards aren't the only big cats that climb among the rocks.

Emmanuel Rondeau got a pleasant surprise when he found a shot of this curious takin among the photos in his camera trap high in the Bhutanese mountains.

This photo of a coconut octopus shows how the eight-armed swimmers are smart and resourceful.

This swimmer makes no attempt to hide.

Grey reef sharks prefer to eat fish.

Polar bears hunt solo. It took this bear several tries to finally catch a barnacle goose in Svalbard, Norway.

Some animals aren't bothered by proximity to people, and even take advantage of it.

Burrowing owls like these love to take up residence in meticulously manicured lawns on Florida's Marco Island.

California, too, is home to burrowing owl families.