The Best 17 Photos From The "2020 BigPicture Natural World Photography" Competition

"To get this intimate shot of a mountain hare (Lepus timidus) curled up against a Scottish winter storm, Andy Parkinson endured weeks of ferocious cold and wind that drove shards of ice into his face. Britain's only native rabbit species, on the other hand, is utterly at home in these inhospitable conditions. Groups of twenty or more hares gather each winter to nibble heather on leeward slopes, where the snow tends to be shallower. Before resting, they jump away from their tracks to confuse predators. And while some ride out storms in burrows or depressions, this female created her own shelter, tucking herself into a ball to conserve heat and minimize exposure to the elements. It's a nifty strategy for surviving the kind of weather that drives most creatures indoors or underground. Despite their fortitude, mountain hares are Britain's fastest-declining mammal, due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. Parkinson hopes that calling attention to these remarkable rabbits will convince legislators to protect them." Photo Story: Coexistence, Winner: 'Guardian Warriors' By Ami Vitale.