Sitaram Raul Wins Behaviour: Invertebrates Category at 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Key facts

• Indian photographer Sitaram Raul won the 'Behaviour: Invertebrates' category at the 2026 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition for his photograph 'Shifting Sand', which depicts an Indian Buthacus scorpion burrowing into sand in Rajasthan's Thar Desert.
• The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is organised by the Natural History Museum in London and received more than 65,000 entries from around the world in 2026.
• The 2026 overall award went to Italian photographer Federico Veronesi for 'The Aftermath', and an exhibition of winning photographs opened at the Natural History Museum on 16 October 2026.
• Raul, based in Badlapur, Maharashtra, with about 14 years of experience, earlier received a 'Highly Commended' distinction in the Urban Wildlife category in 2025 for his photograph 'Nature Reclaims its Space'.