A scar-faced fox, a hitchhiking macaque and two storks hunting by a controlled fire – these are among the first pictures released as part of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.

Developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, the competition showcases some lesser-known behaviours and habitats while exposing human impact on an increasingly fragile natural world.

A fox in a Kent rehabilitation centre after being attacked, most likely by dogs
Among the images is a fox in a Kent rehabilitation centre after being attacked, most likely by dogs (Neil Aldridge/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

More than a dozen images, which received highly commended awards in their categories, have been released ahead of the winners’ awards ceremony on October 10, announced by wildlife TV presenters and conservationists Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Teenager Shashwat Harish, from Kenya, has been highly commended in the 11-14 years category for this image of a leopard crossing a stream (Shashwat Harish/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Fight To The Death by Jasper Doest, from The Netherlands, has been highly commended in the photojournalism category
The 59th competition received nearly 50,000 entries from 95 countries, with photographers judged anonymously on their creativity, originality and technical skill (Jasper Doest/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Cub by Michal Siarek, from Poland, has been highly commended in the photojournalism category
This moody image by Michal Siarek, from Poland, has also been highly commended in the photojournalism category (Michal Siarek/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

Caitlin Henderson, from Australia, caught a possum dismembering a green cicada outside her balcony window.

She said: “There were heads here, wings there.”

A possum munching on insects in the middle of the night
(Caitlin Henderson/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Bison
Snow Bison by Max Waugh, from the USA, has been highly commended in the animal portraits category (Max Waugh/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

And Atsuyuki Ohshima caught the moment a macaque sprang from a tree on to a deer on the Japanese island of Yakushima.

Forest Rodeo by Atsuyuki Ohshima, from Japan, has been highly commended in the behaviour: mammals category
Young male primates have been known to land on female deer and try to mate with them, but in this case the macaque was a young female who appeared to be enjoying the ride (Atsuyuki Ohshima/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Race For Life by Donglin Zhou, from China, has been highly commended in the behaviour: mammals category
An image of a rare snow leopard hunting a Pallas’s cat in China has been highly commended in the behaviour: mammals category (Donglin Zhou/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

A mason bee building its home from twigs, the swirling spores of a mushroom in Greece and a tiger cub being evacuated from eastern Ukraine also feature.

Mason Bee at Work by Solvin Zankl, from Germany, has been highly commended in the behaviour: invertebrates category
Mason Bee at Work by Solvin Zankl, from Germany, has been highly commended in the behaviour: invertebrates category (Solvin Zankl/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

Chairwoman of the judging panel Kathy Moran said: “What most impressed the jury was the range of subjects, from absolute beauty, rarely seen behaviours and species to images that are stark reminders of what we are doing to the natural world.

Coot On Ice by Zhai Zeyu, from China, has been highly commended in the 10 years and under category
Youngster Zhai Zeyu, from China, has been highly commended in the 10 years and under category for this image of a coot on ice (Zhai Zeyu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

“We felt a powerful tension between wonder and woe that we believe came together to create a thought-provoking collection of photographs.”

Prize Catch by Jef Pattyn, from Belgium and the Netherlands, has been highly commended in the oceans: the bigger picture category
A fisherman with his large catch, by Jef Pattyn has been highly commended in the oceans: the bigger picture category (Jef Pattyn/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
Coral Connections by Alex Mustard, from the UK, has been highly commended in the under water category
An exhibition will run at the Natural History Museum from October 13 until June 30 next year with a UK and international tour of the photos afterwards (Alex Mustard/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)
The Vanishing Seal by Bruno D’Amicis, from Italy, has been highly commended in the natural artistry category
The Vanishing Seal by Bruno D’Amicis, from Italy, has been highly commended in the natural artistry category (Bruno D’Amicis/Wildlife Photographer of the Year/PA)

Dr Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, said: “We are facing urgent biodiversity and climate crises and photography is a powerful catalyst for change.

“The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition reveals some of nature’s most wondrous sights whilst offering hope and achievable actions visitors can take to help protect the natural world.”