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These kissing ravens are among the winning shots at Wildlife Photographer of the Year

From playful polar bears to battling reindeer, these are officially the best nature photographs of 2021

Sophie Dickinson
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Sophie Dickinson
Freelance contributor
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Lying on the snowy ground in the middle of winter, photographer Shane Kalyn discovered an intimate moment of feathered PDA – and was able to capture this truly amazing photograph.

The pair of ravens were beginning an intricate bonding ritual at the start of their mating season. Touching their beaks together, they appeared to kiss among the pine trees, before exchanging gifts like moss, twigs and small stones, and serenading each other with soft warbling sounds. How incredibly romantic.

The photograph came top in the ‘Behaviour: Birds’ category at Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2021. Many of the entries show nature at its most majestic and vulnerable, with the winners displayed at London’s Natural History Museum

Here are some more of our favourites:

Like this bright sunflower field.

sunflower field
Photograph: Andrés Luis Dominguez Blanco / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This chimpanzee rehab centre.

chimps and human
Photograph: Brent Stirton / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This icy landscape (those specks are seals).

seal nursery
Photograph: Jennifer Hayes / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

These loved-up newts.

Loved-up newts
Photograph: João Rodrigues / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This seaweed jungle. 

seeweed forest
Photograph: Justin Gilligan / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

These battling reindeer.

Battling reindeer
Photograph: Stefano Unterthiner / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This guilty-looking bear.

Guilty bear
Photograph: Zack Clothier / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

This peaceful forest scene.

Guilty bear
Photograph: Lasse Kurkela / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

And these playful polar bears.

Playful polar bears
Photograph: Martin Gregus / Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Now check out these incredible deep-sea shots from the Ocean Photography Prize 2021.

Plus: here are the hilarious winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021

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