A young Iberian lynx caught mid play has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award 2026.
The striking image, titled Flying Rodent, was taken by Austrian photographer Josef Stefan during a two-week stay in Torre de Juan Abad, in Spain's Ciudad Real province.
Stefan spent several days in a hide when the young lynx suddenly appeared with its prey and began repeatedly throwing it into the air and catching it again.
For nearly 20 minutes, the lynx remained absorbed in this playful behavior, at times standing on its hind legs, its gaze fixed on the rodent. To me, it looked as if the rodent could fly, he commented.
The moment ended when the animal lost interest, carrying its prey behind a bush to eat it.
The Iberian lynx is one of the world's rarest wildcats and was on the brink of extinction in the early 2000s, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining. Thanks to long-term conservation and reintroduction efforts, the population has recovered to more than 2,000, although it still remains classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award attracted a record-breaking 85,917 votes from wildlife photography and nature fans worldwide. In addition to Stefan's winning image, four other finalists were highly commended.
All five images will be displayed online and at London's Natural History Museum until the exhibition closes on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
