Isak’s photograph of two shoebills in Uganda’s Mabamba Swamp has earned him yet another Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award!
South Africa (21 October 2026) – Isak Pretorius, a specialist wildlife photographic guide from South Africa, has scooped a category win in the world’s most prestigious wildlife photography competition!
Wildlife Photographer of the Year, hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, honours the world’s most creative, original and technically excellent nature and wildlife photographs.
This year, 100 winning shots were selected from a record-breaking 65,403 entries from 121 countries and territories.
Isak’s photograph took top honours in the Behaviour: Birds category, which recognises award-worthy photographs that capture memorable, unusual or dramatic behaviour.
The shot, titled ‘Scenes from the Swamp’, was captured while he was exploring Uganda’s Mabamba Swamp, where he chanced upon the two elusive birds among the vegetation.
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As a wildlife guide and photographer, Pretorius aims to raise awareness about the importance of conserving nature and all of its wonders.
“We protect what we care about, so my objective is to get enough people to care about African wildlife by showing them how beautiful nature is.” Isak has said.
This is not Pretorius’ first time winning the bird behaviour category at Wildlife Photographer of the Year. In 2013, he became the first South African to win the category with his striking photograph of a noddy bird trapped in a spider web.
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Pretorius’ second win was announced at an awards ceremony hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, where his photograph will join 99 other winning shots in the competition’s annual exhibition, which runs until 11 July 2027.
“I’m thrilled and honoured to share that I won the Birds category at Wildlife Photographer of the Year, announced at last night’s prestigious awards ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum.” Pretorius wrote on social media. “Thank you to the judges, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year team, and everyone who has supported me along the way.”
Italian photographer Federico Veronesi won the overall Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 title for his black-and-white image titled ‘The Aftermath’, which shows a female elephant carrying her deceased calf in Namibia’s Huab River Valley.
Last year, South African photographer Wim van den Heever took the coveted title with his award-winning shot of one of the world’s rarest hyenas passing through the abandoned buildings of Kolmanskop, also captured in Namibia!
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