[imagesource: Magnus Lundgren]

Europe may not be able to boast about the Big Five, but there are still plenty of natural wonders to be enjoyed across the continent.

You know how these photography award stories go, so I’ll spare you much of the preamble.

The winners of the 2021 European wildlife photographer of the year awards have been chosen. The competition, run by the German Society for Nature Photography, saw 19 00 entries, with a shot by Angel Fitor of Spain coming out tops.

His photo was titled ‘Medusa Ballet’, as per The Guardian, and shows jellyfish in the Spanish lagoon of Mar Menor:

Ah, the serenity.

By the way, that photo right up from Magnus Lundgren was the winner in the Men and Nature category.

Category winner, Birds:

Terje Kolaas (Norway), Bird migration. Thousands of pink-footed geese roosting in Norway in spring, on their way to the breeding grounds on Svalbard in the Arctic

Category winner, Mammals:

Danny Green (UK), After the rain

Category winner, Other Animals:

Jan Pedersen (Sweden), Emerald dragon

I’m very much a fan of Emerald dragons now.

On we go.

Category winner, Landscapes:

Anette Mossbacher (Switzerland), The tree of life

Category winner, The Underwater World:

Fabrice Guerin (France), Water ballet

They may look a little clumsy on land, but underwater they really do move with a ballet-like grace.

Shall we call it there? Yes, let’s do that.

Find all the winners, as well the runners-up in each category, here.

[source:guardian]