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

When the California Academy of Sciences announced their 2020 BigPicture Natural World Photography competition, the main idea was to “both celebrate and illustrate the rich diversity of life on Earth and inspire action to protect and conserve it through the power of imagery”. And competitors definitely managed to grasp it.

"A park ranger at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya is nuzzled by an 18-month-old black rhino named Kilifi who was hand-raised with two other baby rhinos". Terrestrial Wildlife, Finalist, Yeye In The Mist By Ami Vitale. "A 16-year-old bear called Ye Ye – named to celebrate the friendship between China and Japan – lumbered out of the mist. Gingerly, Vitale stuck her camera through the fence as Poon lofted the LEDs. Vitale says the large black-and-white creature posed "like a supermodel." "She just came up for a moment," Vitale said, "like a magician. And just showed up and disappeared, as pandas do. They're very good at disappearing." Landscapes, Waterscapes, And Flora, Finalist: 'Caddo' By Mauro Battistelli.