50 Animal Photos The Crowd Voted As Their Favorites In Photocrowd’s Contest

"The most photographed bird in Africa."

"A lion sleeping with its tongue out at the San Diego Zoo."

"A stag calling out in the grass during rutting season. Captured with a Nikon D850 paired with a Sigma 150–600mm lens."

"California sea lions duke it out for the best sunning spot. I love the expression on the sea lion on the right—it looks as if he’s stifling aggression. This is part of a series of four, and choosing which photo to enter in the New Joiners contest was a difficult decision."

"A clouded leopard at the Nashville Zoo."

"A starling showing its iridescent rainbow-colored feathers in the light."

"I took this photo while out for a walk in the local town park. I happened to be in the right place at the right time, and I’m very proud of it."

"In the Lake District, surrounded by beautiful mountains on a dull afternoon, the sheep seemed to want to say hello."

"A Victoria crowned pigeon pottering around the Whipsnade Butterfly House."

"A lone meerkat stands upright on a sunlit rock, scanning the horizon with quiet determination. Its pose is iconic—alert, balanced, and full of purpose. The earthy tones of the surroundings blend seamlessly with the meerkat’s fur, creating a warm, unified scene."

"This little rockhopper penguin is sunning itself after a dip."

"Elephant snacking."

"I took a morning trip to Rietvlei Nature Reserve (South Africa) and saw some zebras bathing in the morning sunlight, grazing on the grass. The zebras were enjoying the morning sun."

"On a quiet evening in my grandmother’s village, I noticed a butterfly resting on a bright flower. Intrigued by its delicate beauty, I captured the moment—a fleeting reminder of nature’s grace in simple places."

"Small and cute."

"Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to the majestic one-horned rhino, a symbol of resilience."

"A horse in the wind, photographed during strong gusts in the flats of a horse field."

"Bengal cat in my local park."

"A meerkat showing its good side while on lookout!"

"A Nilgiri tahr sits atop a rock, away from the crowd and lazing in the winter sun."

"Two young ibex take a breather among the clouds, flowers, and grass near the summit of the Augstmatthorn."

"The first Burmese python I’ve ever seen—a beautiful creature with a troubled history in South Florida. This snake represents both natural beauty and persistence, as well as the impact of human destruction."

"A squirrel enjoys a nut, savoring each bite as if it were a gourmet feast."

"At the Beijing Zoo."

"He/she looks yellow."

"A black swan captured on the serene South Coast of NSW during a holiday. The overcast sky softened the light, creating a moody, atmospheric backdrop that highlights the swan’s graceful form and deep black plumage."

"A large robber fly (Andrenosoma cruentum), endemic to South Florida’s coastal hammock habitats, eats an exotic European honey bee (Apis mellifera)."

"This unusual creature is Paraphrynus cf. cubensis, a species of tailless whipscorpion (order Amblypygi). Although they are arachnids, they aren’t spiders, scorpions, or members of other arachnid groups—they’re in a class of their own."

"This is likely Hogna timuqua, a species of wolf spider found in South Florida."

The praying mantis, culturally regarded as a symbol of good fortune, stillness, prayer, and meditation. A while back, one decided to make my little balcony garden its new hunting ground. Lying in ambush, camouflaged among the leaves in the dark of night, it remained as still as a statue, ready to swiftly clasp its prey with utmost precision. I was both amazed and intimidated by the striking pose of this dauntless predator, which led me to attempt capturing a photo that would accentuate the mantis’s mesmerizing and unsettling presence—a true force to be reckoned with.

The photo holds personal meaning for me as well. I’m quite fond of these fascinating crawlies and impressed by their remarkable abilities. On a couple of occasions, I noticed a mantis suddenly climbing onto my body, so I gently guided it to the palm of my hand and we spent a few moments together, after which I placed it on some well-hidden leaves nearby. Those experiences remind me of our interconnectedness with nature—we are a part of it, and the insecto de Santa Teresa is one of its many marvels."

"A beautiful gray Quarter Horse mare powering around a barrel."