Fairytale-like Picture of a Blue Arctic Fox Wins 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest
Defeating fierce competition, photographer Kathleen Borshanian emerged victorious in the 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest. The Salt Lake City native captured a fairytale-like shot of a female blue Arctic fox perched on a cliff on Alaska's St. George Island. “On the high bluffs of St. George Island, there is a 1,000-foot sea cliff where numerous fox trails cut a path precariously close to the edge,” she said in a statement. To click the perfect shot, Borshanian hid behind a tussock and used a telephoto lens to record the Arctic fox in its habitat without disturbing it. In the breathtaking shot, the creature can be seen gazing ahead and standing sideways about 75 feet away from the photographer.
Borshanian won the coveted contest along with $5000, as reported by USA Today. The victory is a massive deal as she stood out among 3,200 other photographers and nearly 30,000 photo submissions, as per a National Wildlife Federation press release. The contest in 2025 marked the 54th year of the annual competition. While Borshanian was honored with the grand prize, many other photographers were rewarded for their sensational clicks of the wildlife. "The stunning images highlight the diversity and majesty of wildlife, plants, and landscapes from across the globe," the press release read. First place in the Baby Animals category was won by Steffen Foerster. The NYC wildlife photographer clicked two San Juan Island red foxes standing in close proximity to one another.
“During a play session, one of the kits sought comfort from its mother nearby,” Foerster revealed. In the Birds category, photographer Jack Zhi took home the prize. The Californian captured a peregrine falcon mother "attacking the much larger brown pelicans when they ventured too close to the nest." In the mammals category, Deena Sveinsson's stunning capture of three bull moose overshadowed the rest of the competitors. She captured the moment when the creatures were headed to a channel. “I squatted as low as I could get in the cold, muddy water. My socks, pants, and coat got completely soaked with that smelly mud," she recalled. But the efforts paid off as the photograph turned out to be nothing less than a "movie poster."
In the same category, Mark Panasuk won the second prize by capturing a rare visual of a herd of bison at Yellowstone National Park. “It was a surreal experience, as the bison just kept walking in formation towards our vehicle,” the Douglas, Wyoming native recalled. He captured the shot while riding on a snow coach driven by a park guide. Jennifer Wehunt, editorial director of National Wildlife magazine, spoke about the mesmerizing submissions of this year and how the winners stood out. “In reviewing this year’s photo contest entries, our judges noted a couple of unmistakable themes. First, there are astonishing glimpses of nature’s sheer strength, from an onrush of lava in Iceland to a shimmering burn set to contain a wildfire in Pennsylvania," she said.
"And then there are surprises that defy the everyday: a night bus of nautical hitchhikers, a fox straight out of a fairy tale. That ability to amaze—that’s also the power of nature," Wehunt added.
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