Lisa Skelton, In the company of royalty (ANIMALS 2026)

The Falkland Archipelago is comprised of over 700 islands; many rugged, untouched and serve as key habitat for some of the most incredible wildlife. These islands are home to approximately 1,500 breeding pairs of King penguins, with the population almost entirely concentrated at one site; Volunteer Point on East Falkland Island. In December, Volunteer point is a hive of activity. Adult Kings will come and go from the rookery daily as they head to see to hunt. For those in the rookery, there is plenty of socialising and even aggressive displays as males slap and challenge each other while competing for a mate. Many of the seasons chicks have begun their moult, slowly shedding their fine, fluffy brown down for their adult plumage.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.