Winner | Animal Portraits


Christian Ziegler

Winner | Animal Portraits

LuiKotale, Near Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Bonobo and His Pet

The last great ape to be described, the Bonobo, is one of our closest living relatives. Here, a wild Bonobo who caught a mongoose pup is looking after it like a pet. He later released the animal unharmed. This behaviour has only been recorded once before by Prof Barbara Fruth at this site.


Christian Ziegler

Christian Ziegler is a renowned photojournalist and filmmaker specializing in natural history and science-related topics. He serves as an outreach photographer for the Max-Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour in Konstanz. With a background in tropical ecology, Christian's work aims to showcase endangered species and ecosystems while sharing their beauty and significance with a wide audience. His impressive portfolio includes award-winning books such as "A Magic Web" on tropical ecology, "Deceptive Beauties" on wild orchids, and "Jungle Spirits," a visual celebration of tropical forests.