Mouse Fight On Subway Wins People’s Choice For Wildlife Photographer Of The Year

Just a few months ago we were looking at the 25 finalists of the LUMIX People’s Choice Award, wondering which photograph was going to snatch the prize. And all the power was in our hands as the voting was open to the public, with a deadline of Tuesday, February 4, 2020. As the day passed, everyone waited in anticipation to hear from The Natural History Museum. And at last, they announced which shot was the winner, and it’s no other than the fan-favorite “Station Squabble” by Sam Rowley!

The perfect moment snapped on the London Underground shows two mice fighting over scraps of food. The photographer had to rely on patience, as he had seen the fights before, so he decided to just lie on the ground and wait. And it definitely paid off!

“The competition attracts over 48,000 entries from 100 countries, highlighting its enduring appeal,” a Museum spokesperson said. That’s a tough competition to beat! The winners of the main competition (both the grand title as well as category winners) win a cash prize; however, the LUMIX People’s Choice winner does not receive a monetary price. Even so, the media coverage and exposure from such an established contest is enough to attract thousands of entries!

More info: NHM

“Station Squabble” by Sam Rowley was just named the winner of this year’s LUMIX People’s Choice Award

“Sam discovered the best way to photograph the mice inhabiting London’s Underground was to lie on the platform and wait. He only saw them fight over scraps of food dropped by passengers a few times, possibly because it is so abundant. This fight lasted a split second, before one grabbed a crumb and they went their separate ways.”

“Losing The Fight”, Aaron Gekoski, UK – highly commended

“Orangutans have been used in degrading performances at Safari World, Bangkok – and many other locations – for decades. The shows were temporarily stopped in 2004 due to international pressure, but today the shows continue – twice a day, every day – with hundreds of people paying to watch the orangutans box, dance, play the drums and more.”

“Matching Outfits”, Michel Zoghzoghi, Lebanon – highly commended

“Michel was in the Pantanal, Brazil photographing jaguars. One afternoon, as he was on the Três Irmãos River, a mother and her cub crossed right in front of his boat. He watched mesmerized as they left the water holding an anaconda with a very similar pattern to their own.”

“The Surrogate Mother”, Martin Buzora, Canada – highly commended

“Elias Mugambi is a ranger at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya. He often spends weeks away from his family caring for orphaned black rhinos like Kitui here. The young rhinos are in the sanctuary as a result of poaching or because their mothers are blind and cannot care for them safely in the wild.”

“Spot The Reindeer”, Francis De Andres, Spain – highly commended

“The conditions for photographing at the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard are extreme, but wildlife has adapted to the environment and its freezing temperatures. Francis found this composition of white arctic reindeer, which were observing him, both curious and charming.”