Heartbreaking Photograph of an Elephant and Deceased Calf Wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Italian wildlife photographer Federico Veronesi has been announced as Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 for his powerful image, ‘The Aftermath’.
Featuring a female elephant carrying a deceased calf in Huab River Valley, Namibia, Federico's photograph is a challenging yet impactful insight into complex animal behaviour. Leading to the capture of this image, Federico was tracking elephants when he came across an unusual pattern of drag marks in the sand of a dry riverbed. The source became clear when he caught up with a family group. A female emerged with the calf, its leg wedged between her tusk and trunk.
Behaviours centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalisations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased. Some researchers suggest these behaviours could indicate an elephant’s journey to understanding death, while others interpret these actions as possible displays of grief.
Kathy Moran, Chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Jury, says: “This photograph works on so many levels. Emotionally it’s a gut punch, heartbreakingly poignant. Intellectually it’s proof that animals have cognition. This photograph says it all!”
Main Image: © Federico Veronesi, courtesy Wildlife Photographer of the Year