A breathtaking photograph of a polar bear family locked in a fierce Arctic snowstorm has won a prestigious award.
A snap of the mother bear and her two cubs claimed first prize at the Golden Shot Photography Awards 2025.
The striking black and white image shows the animals racing across the frozen wilderness of Baffin Island, Canada.
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The image was taken by photographer Xuejun Long in April, as reported by What’s the Jam.
“On Baffin Island, I came across a mother polar bear running through the ice and snow with her two cubs,” Xuejun, from China, said.
“Mom teaches her children how to hunt and survive in the wild to explore the cold world outside.
“The scene was fleeting, and it’s not easy to hold up the camera and press the shutter to shoot in such cold conditions.
“The Arctic has a very special, fragile, and highly interconnected ecological system.
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“The decline or extinction of one Arctic species is likely to trigger a chain reaction that leads to the decline or even extinction of other species.
“Polar bears are one of the most representative animals threatened with extinction due to global climate change.
“They cannot rest or hunt without sufficient sea ice.”
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Xuejun beat more than 3,600 entries from 53 countries to take the top prize for Photographer of the Year.
A total of 29 winners were selected across 16 categories including portrait, landscape, street, fine art, documentary, environmental, nature and wildlife, travel and drone, with 106 further entries receiving honourable mentions.
The Golden Shot Awards praised the winners for showcasing cultural diversity, creative vision and the highest standards of contemporary photography.
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