The key facts
- More than 800 photos were entered in the BIAZA Photo Competition 2026, with winners named in seven categories
- Victory in the Mammals category went to a photo of the African elephant Opal in a mud bath (photo by Thomas Harris)
- The Birds category was won by a shot of a griffon owl on a frosty morning at the Watatunga reserve in Norfolk
Results of the BIAZA Photo Competition 2026
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) has announced the results of its annual photo competition, which accepted photographs taken in zoos, aquariums and natural habitats across the UK and Ireland. According to Kun.uz, the jury reviewed more than 800 entries and selected winners and runners-up in seven categories. The selected images feature mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and even tiny invertebrates — from expressive animal portraits to funny and easily overlooked scenes of their daily lives.
An elephant in a mud bath and a frosty owl
The winner of the Mammals category was a photograph titled 'I'm Still Rising': photographer Thomas Harris captured an African elephant cow named Opal enjoying a mud bath on a rainy day. Colchester Zoological Society cares for four African elephants; in addition to looking after them, the organisation also takes part in conservation projects. The Birds category was won by 'Beauty in the Frosty Haze' by Gareth Clifford: a shot of a vernal hanging-parrot... actually a grif owl — the frame shows a griffon owl, taken early on a January morning at dawn at the Watatunga reserve in Norfolk — the photographer had to work hard to catch the right moment.
