Powerful image of a grieving elephant wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Photographer Federico Veronesi won the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year award for his image of a female elephant grieving a deceased calf. The image is being praised for providing rare evidence of complex emotional and cognitive behaviors in animals.
Why it matters
The photograph serves as a significant scientific and cultural touchstone for understanding animal cognition and emotional depth.
Photographer Federico Veronesi won Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his moving image. In the Huab River Valley of Namibia, a female elephant carries the body of a deceased calf. It's a tragic scene that offers a rare glimpse at the complex social behaviors of animals. Photographer Federico Veronesi documented the moment and his striking image took top honors at 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
"This photograph works on so many levels. Emotionally it's a gut punch, heartbreakingly poignant," Kathy Moran, Chair of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Jury, said. "Intellectually it's proof that animals have cognition. This photograph says it all!"
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