Dubai teen Rithved Girish wins global acclaim at Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2025

The competition by London’s Natural History Museum drew over 60,000 wildlife entries

Last updated: November 06, 2025 | 07:16

2 MIN READ

Rithved Girishkumar, captured stingless bees guarding their nest in southwest India. Built from wax, resin, and mud, the tiny fortress highlights the delicate balance between pollinators and their changing environment.

Rithved Girishkumar/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025

Dubai: Rithved Girish, aged 14, a student from GEMS Our Own Indian School, Dubai, has earned international recognition as a Runner-Up in the 11–14 years category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2025, often referred to as the “Oscars of Wildlife Photography.”

The prestigious competition, organised by the Natural History Museum, London, received more than 60,000 entries from over 110 countries this year — a record-breaking number. The awards celebrate artistic excellence, technical mastery, and powerful storytelling in wildlife imagery, shining light on issues such as species conservation and habitat loss.

Braving ants and thorny shrubs, Rithved Girishkumar captured stingless bees guarding their wax-and-mud nest in southwest India. The image, which earned him global acclaim, sheds light on pollinators’ vital role and how climate change threatens their harmony with flowering cycles essential for food production.

Rithved’s striking image — chosen on his first attempt — is featured in the museum’s official portfolio book and the ongoing international exhibition, which opened in London on October 17, 2025. The display will later tour globally, showcasing the young photographer’s work alongside renowned professionals.

Rithved Girishkumar with his award.

Rithved’s achievement adds to an impressive list of honours. He won the Xposure International Photography Awards 2025, secured second prize in the 2024 edition, and has been recognised by the Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) and Nature Photographer of the Year contests.

His success stands as an inspiration for aspiring photographers across the UAE. “Being recognised internationally at this age is extraordinary,” said his mentor. The recognition underscores both Rithved’s remarkable eye for nature and the growing global presence of young creative talent from the UAE.

A brown hyena roams the eerie, sand-filled streets of Kolmanskop, a long-abandoned diamond mining town near Lüderitz, Namibia. Captured by South African photographer Wim van den Heever using a night-time camera trap, the haunting image titled Ghost Town Visitor won both the Urban Wildlife and Overall titles at the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.

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