Kathleen Borshanian won the National Wildlife Federation's 2025 photo contest with a magical portrait of a blue Arctic fox on St. George Island, Alaska, earning the grand prize and $5,000. The 54th annual contest drew nearly 30,000 entries from more than 3,200 photographers worldwide. Judges highlighted themes of nature's raw power and intimate, surprising moments among the winners. Other notable images included moose in Grand Teton, a coyote at Point Reyes, flamingos in Bahrain and an underwater nurse shark.
Fairytale-Like Blue Arctic Fox Photo Wins 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest — Kathleen Borshanian Takes Grand Prize
Kathleen Borshanian/2025 National WildlifeThe winning shot in the 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest
Utah photographer Kathleen Borshanian won the National Wildlife Federation's 2025 National Wildlife Photo Contest with a striking, fairytale-like portrait of a female blue Arctic fox on Alaska's St. George Island.
Kathleen Borshanian/2025 National WildlifeKathleen Borshanian's winning photo taken on St. George Island in Alaska
Borshanian captured the fox perched on a cliff near a 1,000-foot sea bluff where numerous fox trails run perilously close to the edge. She said she concealed herself behind tussocks and used a telephoto lens to photograph the animal from about 75 feet away while the fox's kits slept nearby.
Deena Sveinsson2025 National WildlifeDeena Sveinsson's photo of three bull moose in Wyoming
Grand Prize And Contest Highlights
The image earned Borshanian the contest's top honor and a $5,000 prize, a detail reported by USA Today. Now in its 54th year, the National Wildlife Photo Contest received nearly 30,000 submissions from more than 3,200 photographers across the United States and around the world, the National Wildlife Federation said.
Leo Dale/2025 National WildlifeLeo Dale's shot of a solo coyote in California
"The stunning images highlight the diversity and majesty of wildlife, plants, and landscapes from across the globe," said Jennifer Wehunt, editorial director of National Wildlife magazine. She noted recurring themes among the winners: dramatic displays of nature's power and intimate, surprising moments.
Other Notable Winners
Among category winners were:
Ajay Kumar Singh/2025 National WildlifeAjay Kumar Singh captured a flamboyance of flamingos in Bahrain
- Deena Sveinsson — First place in the mammals category for a cinematic shot of three bull moose taken in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.
- Leo Dale — Winner in the young nature photographers category with a solitary coyote at Point Reyes National Seashore, California; Dale was 17 when he took the photo.
- Ajay Kumar Singh — Second place in birds for a striking image of flamingos at Eker Creek, Bahrain.
- Remuna Beca — Second place for an underwater portrait of a nurse shark in The Bahamas.
Photographers may submit entries for the next contest beginning Jan. 14, 2026, the federation said.
Remuna Beca/2025 National WildlifeRemuna Beca scored second place with this photo of a nurse shark in The Bahamas
Photo credits: Kathleen Borshanian / 2025 National Wildlife (grand prize); other credits as noted by the National Wildlife Federation.
