Josef Stefan Named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026
- Wildlife photographer Josef Stefan from Ziersdorf in the Hollabrunn district has been named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 by the Natural History Museum in London.
- The winning photograph captures a young lynx tossing a freshly caught rat into the air inside a concealed Spanish hideout.
- The 67-year-old photographer deliberately avoids artificial intelligence tools in his work.
Wildlife photographer Josef Stefan from Ziersdorf in the Hollabrunn district has been named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 by the Natural History Museum in London. Stefan secured the international title on September 27, 2026, prevailing against 60,000 entries with a photograph of a young lynx in Spain.
The Winning Shot in Spain
The winning photograph captures a young lynx tossing a freshly caught rat into the air inside a concealed Spanish hideout. Stefan observed the animal from a distance of 50 to 60 meters using a 600-millimeter telephoto lens capable of capturing 20 frames per second.
It looks as if the rat could fly. The picture looks so playful.
Josef Stefan
The 67-year-old photographer deliberately avoids artificial intelligence tools in his work. Operating his camera at high speed allowed him to remain completely unnoticed by the lynx during the shoot.
Patience and Fieldcraft in Nature
Stefan has practiced nature photography since he was 16 years old, utilizing cameras, binoculars, and portable blind tents to document wildlife. He frequently spends hours waiting inside a tent while absolute silence surrounds him.
Stefan says there are days when he sits in the camouflage tent and waits and waits. Because animals are not controllable, he explains that one cannot manipulate them and tell them to stand there, meaning one really has to wait and have patience.
Beyond competition success, Stefan aims to bridge the gap between local populations and native fauna. Pointing to a European bee-eater perched high on a branch, he notes that many residents remain unfamiliar with native birds until they encounter them through his lens.
Future Expeditions and Conservation
While the London accolade marks a high point in his career, Stefan emphasizes that species conservation remains a central priority for his work. His next photography expedition takes him to Norway, where he plans to observe and photograph musk oxen in their natural habitat.
