You can see some of the most photogenic animals in the world, flapping, crawling, leaping, and skittering through this slideshow of entries in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. The contest, a joint venture between the U.K.’s Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new People’s Choice Award category. Take a gander at our favorites in this category, and vote for your choice online !
“Survey Monkey? What the—” : The Japanese macaque, an Old World monkey, has found lots of intelligent ways to adapt to its cold habitat: They relax in natural hot springs, and are also known to roll snowballs for fun. Credit: Marsel van Oosten
Fast Food : Every year, more than 1 million wildebeests in Africa migrate long distances, following the retreat of rain that feeds the grasses they eat. Some of the most hazardous points in the journey are the river crossings, where the herd swarms and surges through the water, tempting crocodiles with a moving smorgasbord. Credit: Karen Lunney
Seal Sings His Hits : The song of the male bearded seal can be heard up to 12 miles away. Credit: Audun Rikardsen
Night Fliers : Most butterflies are only active during the daytime; they yield the night to their cousins, the moths (both members of the order Lepidoptera). Credit: Juan Jesus Gonzalez Ahumada
“Was I Staring?” : Owls’ large, forward-facing eyes are amazing tools for hunting. The birds can’t move them around in their sockets, but they can twist their heads around up to 270 degrees thanks to essential arteries being threaded through holes in the neck vertebrae, where there’s enough room to create air pockets that allows the blood vessel to shift around as the head is twisted. Credit: Mohammad Khorshed
It’s a Stretch : Lots of species like to stretch it out; researchers think that it helps realign disorganized collagen fibers in our connective tissue. But nowadays, sports scientists recommend dynamic warm-ups, like jumping jacks, as a better way to prevent injuries before working out. Credit: Stephan Teungler
Bat Festival : Many bat species roost in large colonies across a variety of habitats: caves, tree hollows, and manmade structures. The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas hosts between 750,000 and 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats every summer. Credit: Joao Paulo Krajewski
Poison Package : This little critter is cute, but he’s also a reservoir for the Dobrava virus, a kind of hantavirus that can cause severe hemorrhagic fever accompanied by kidney failure in humans. Credit: Carsten Braun
Beware of Rotating Teeth : Just because they’re predators doesn’t mean they’re out of danger: Barracuda form swirling schools to protect themselves from larger predators, like sharks. Credit: Alexander Mustard
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