Lynx Photo Wins 2026 Wildlife Photographer People's Choice
The Spin
Narrative A
Josef Stefan's "Flying Rodent" is proof that wildlife photography can move mountains — 85,917 people voted it the best, making it the most-voted People's Choice winner ever. Capturing a rare Iberian lynx tossing a rodent mid-air with a Nikon Z9 and 600mm lens, Stefan turned two weeks in a hide into a career-defining moment.
Narrative B
"Flying Rodent" winning the Nuveen People's Choice Award matters far beyond the photo itself — the Iberian lynx went from roughly 100 individuals in the early 2000s to thousands today, a 1,500% population increase driven by real conservation work. This image is a rallying cry, not just a pretty picture, showing what targeted habitat restoration, captive breeding and cross-sector collaboration can actually achieve. Photography without that conservation backbone is just decoration.