Peek a boo! A bear is spotted looking through a perfectly shaped hole for its nose and eyes, photographed by Tilly Meijer in Spijkenisse, NetherlandsPeek a boo! A bear is spotted looking through a perfectly shaped hole for its nose and eyes, photographed by Tilly Meijer in Spijkenisse, Netherlands
Peek a boo! A bear is spotted looking through a perfectly shaped hole for its nose and eyes, photographed by Tilly Meijer in Spijkenisse, Netherlands

15 photos of animals and wildlife that show both the beauty and mystery of the natural world

Take a look at these glorious photos from bears to birds and owls to orangutans, photos of animals from across the globe.

The natural world offers such beauty and intrigue from animals’ unbreakable bonds, to the striking colours of wildlife. Here, CEWE has released a collection of new images taken by photographers of animals and wildlife across the globe as part of the CEWE Photo Award - the world’s largest photo competition.

The 15 snaps were submitted as part of the ‘animal’ category in last year’s competition, which aimed to celebrate the best in photography across the globe. The competition was open to everyone – from keen amateur photographers to established professionals.

Entrants were asked to submit photos that celebrated the competition’s ‘Our World is Beautiful’ theme. There were 10 categories for budding photographers to enter – from aerial shots and animals to landscapes, travel and culture.

A photo expert at CEWE UK, said: “The animal category is always one that provides such stunning images that truly celebrate the beauty of the world. It’s incredible to see animals up close and personal in their natural habitats in the sea and on land. The photos from the animal category show such unique perspectives – it really does leave you feeling in awe of the world.

“We’ve really enjoyed seeing people’s entries to the CEWE Photo Award and are looking forward to sharing more breath-taking images from all categories soon.”

In spring this year, the CEWE Photo Award will be returning for a 5th year, where photographers across the globe will once again be able to submit entries across 10 categories highlighting the true beauty of the world around us.

Below CEWE has shared some of the best photos from last year’s competition in the animal category.

Entrants were asked to submit photos that celebrated the competition’s ‘Our World is Beautiful’ theme. There were 10 categories for budding photographers to enter – from aerial shots and animals to landscapes, travel and culture.