Wildlife Photographer of the Year: polar bears on the brink

Françoise is a polar expedition leader who takes people on journeys to some of the world's most remote places. She hopes that her work can help her audience to develop deeper interactions with the natural world and inspire them to help conserve it.

The Water Bear - Paul Souders 

Paul Souders wanted to show the aquatic side of polar bears, which he feels are under-represented. He scouted for three days around Hudson Bay, Canada, before finally spotting this young female bear.

Paul was careful to approach her very slowly, waiting for her to come to him. The bear's inquisitive nature is clear as she watches him from beneath the waves, lit by the midnight Sun.

Sadly, the pinkish hue of the sky is not the result of a setting Sun but rather smoke from forest fires raging further south, threatening the survival of this young bear.

Predatory Steps - Eirik Grønningsæter 

The curiosity of these magnificent creatures was also the focus of Norwegian photographer Eirik Grønningsæter, who captured this unique portrait. Eirik set his camera up on the snow, confident that the curiosity of the bear would lead to some great images.

Sure enough, as soon as Eirik retreated to his boat, the bear headed straight for the camera, knocking it with his paws and investigating the strange device. The inquisitiveness of the species is demonstrated in this beautiful image which won the 2010 Animal Portraits category.

Eirik later remarked how the camera was left unscathed by the powerful but gentle animal.

Hitching a Ride - Daisy Gilardini

Daisy Gilardini received a special award in the People's Choice category for her shot of a playful moment between a mother bear and her cub.

Daisy explained that the mother had been resting with her two young cubs before suddenly getting up and dashing downhill through the deep snow. The cub quickly jumped on to hitch a ride.

Polar bear cubs tend to stay with their mother for two and a half to three years while they learn from her how to survive in the Arctic. 

Polar Pas de Deux – Eilo Elvinger

This shot by Eilo Elvinger was the winner of the 2017 Black and White category. The image shows a polar bear and her cub who stopped to investigate the pollution leaking from Eilo's ship.

Taking the lead from its mother, the young cub leaned in to taste the contaminated snow. Pollution in the Arctic is growing year by year and is making its way into the food web.

Eilo framed her shot in black and white to emphasise the pollution against the clean, white landscape of the Arctic. 

Ice Matters - Anna Henly

This powerful photo by Anna Henly is a stark reminder of the effects of the warming climate on the Arctic. She used her fisheye lens to expand the reach of the frame and create an impression of 'the top predator on top of the planet, with its ice world breaking up'.

Her photo was taken at around four in the morning, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, while she watched the bear walk tentatively across the broken ice.

As global temperatures increase, more and more ice is lost each year, reducing the space and time available for bears to hunt and feed. 

Warm Embrace – Debra Garside

Despite the rapidly changing climate and increasingly difficult conditions, dedicated photographers are still able to capture heart-warming moments like this one.

Debra Garside endured temperatures as low as -55˚C and high winds to get this shot of a mother bear and her cubs emerging from a winter spent in their den.

After waiting six days for the bears to emerge, she was able to capture this intimate image showing the cubs huddled for warmth within their mother's fur.