Every year, photographers from around the world share incredible images on Wikimedia Commons, capturing the beauty and diversity of life on Earth. The Picture of the Year 2025 marks the 20th edition of this annual competition, celebrating some of the best contributions from the global community.
This year, animal photography once again stands out, with powerful images that go beyond aesthetics to tell stories about the natural world. From intimate moments to dramatic scenes in the wild, these photos highlight just how fascinating and fragile life on our planet can be.
We’ve selected 30 of the most striking animal photos that could take the title this year. Scroll down to explore them and see which one deserves your vote.
More info: commons.wikimedia.org
#21 Giant Otter Eating A Fish Caught From The River In Parque Estadual Encontro Das Águas, Brazil
Image by Giles Laurent
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12points
#23 Macro Photo Of Greenhouse Frog (Eleutherodactylus Planirostris) Eggs On A Human's Fingertip With Embryos Visible Inside
Image by Alex Abair
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11points
#24 Angolan Giraffe Silhouette At Sunrise In The Kalahari Desert Of Namibia
Image by Giles Laurent
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11points
#25 Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur Catta), Anja Community Reserve, Madagascar
Image by Charles J. Sharp
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9points
#26 Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus), Also Called Norway Rat Or Common Rat, Claiming Abandoned Food Containers In Mathias Baldwin Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Image by Chuck Homler.
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8points
#27 Saddleback Clownfish (''Amphiprion Polymnus'') In A Mertens' Carpet Sea Anemone (''Stichodactyla Mertensii''), Anilao, Philippines
Image by Diego Delso
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8points
#28 Gulf Blenny (''Ecsenius Pulcher''), Ad Dimaniyat Islands, Oman
Image by Diego Delso
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8points
#29 Great Egret (Ardea Alba) Fishing During A Foggy Day At Champ-Pittet, Switzerland
Image by Giles Laurent
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7points
#30 Piliocolobus Kirkii, Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park, Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania
Image by Poco a poco
Report
6points
