Wildlife Photographer of the Year image disqualified

After a careful and thorough investigation into the image ​The night raider, ​taken by
Marcio Cabral, the Natural History Museum, owner of the Wildlife Photographer of the
Year competition, has disqualified the photograph, which was selected as winner of the
2017 Animals in Their Environment category.

Evidence was presented to the Museum by third parties that it is highly likely the animal
in the awarded photograph is a taxidermy specimen. After a thorough investigation
taking just over three weeks, the Museum has concluded that the available evidence
points to this allegation being true. As a result, the Museum believes that the image
breaches the competition rules. The rules clearly state that ‘entries must not deceive
the viewer or attempt to misrepresent the reality of nature.’

The Natural History Museum is a world-leading scientific research institution. The team
of scientists involved in the investigation comprised of two mammals experts and a
taxidermy specialist at the Museum, plus two external experts; a South American
mammals expert and an expert anteater researcher.

Evidence examined included high resolution photographs of a taxidermy anteater that

is kept on open display in the educational collection at a visitor centre located at the
Portão do Bandeira gate, one of the entrances of the Emas National Park – the large
park where ​The night raider​ was taken.

The anteater in the awarded image was compared to the taxidermy anteater depicted
in the photographs received by the Museum. The five scientists, working independently
of each other, all reached the same conclusion that there are elements in overall
posture, morphology, the position of raised tufts of fur and in the patterning on the neck
and the top of the head that are too similar for the images to depict two different
animals. The experts would have expected some variation between two individuals of
the same species.

The Museum also considered the responses to specific questions put to the
photographer Marcio Cabral, who cooperated fully in the investigation, and who
supplied RAW image files he claims were taken of ‘before’ and ‘after’ the winning shot
was taken – none of which included the anteater. Mr Cabral did provide an explanation
as to why he had no other images of the anteater. He also provided a witness who
claims he saw the live anteater.

Mr Cabral strongly denies that the anteater in the image is a taxidermy specimen.

 
 
The competition rules clearly state that photographs achieved through unethical
practices will be disqualified. The competition rules are available to all entrants
including versions translated into several languages, including Brazilian Portuguese.

Member of the 2017 judging panel and current chair of the jury, Roz Kidman Cox, says:
‘I find it disheartening and surprising that a photographer would go to such lengths to
deceive the competition and its worldwide following. The competition places great store
on honesty and integrity, and such a breach of the rules is disrespectful to the
wildlife-photography community, which is at the heart of the competition. This
disqualification should remind entrants that any transgression of the rules and spirit of
the competition will eventually be found out.’

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the world’s most prestigious photography

competition of its kind and any transgression of the competition rules is taken very
seriously. The image will be removed from the exhibition and tour.

The competition rules are available to read at ​www.wildlifephotographeroftheyear.com

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