Oscar Whitfield wins Young Wildlife Photographer title with dung beetle image

Oscar Whitfield was on a family game drive in Zimbabwe when he saw a dung beetle struggling up a patch of sand. The beetle was pushing a ball of dung uphill, with a line of flies following behind. This moment caught Whitfield’s eye. He was only 14 at the time. He captured the rare moment. Titled ‘Labour of Love’, the photograph earned the British photographer the Young Grand Title at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.Labour of LoveOscar Whitfield, who lives near Victoria Falls, spotted the dung beetle while on a family game drive in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi National Park. He wanted to capture the moment in all its glory. So, instead of standing over the beetle to take the picture, he lay down in the dust. His camera sat at the same height as the insect. He tried different angles and compositions before settling on one.