Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019: The winning images

It could be a scene from a slapstick comedy: a marmot stands frozen in fear, jaw slack and balanced on one foot, as it spots a charging fox.

The dramatic image, captured with perfect timing by Chinese photographer Yongqing Bao, was awarded Wildlife Photo of the Year by the Natural History Museum in London.

Bao was selected as the winner from a long list of different categories, all of which captured the quirks, rivalries, and beauty of the natural world.

The winning shot from the Qilian Mountains

Bao captured the scene on the snow-covered slopes of China's Qilian Mountains in spring.

He had been observing the interactions between the two creatures for some time. About an hour earlier, the marmot had spotted the Tibetan fox and alerted its neighbours to go underground.

But the Tibetan fox remained perfectly still, lying in wait. Believing the coast was clear, the marmot finally emerged to resume its search for food.

In an instant the fox lunged forward, and thanks to lightning-fast reflexes, Bao was able to immortalise the terrifying moment of realisation as the marmot came face to face with its own mortality.

«Photographically, it is simply the perfect moment», said Roz Kidman Cox, chair of the jury, in a statement. «The expressiveness of the poses holds you transfixed, and the thread of energy between the raised paws seems to hold the protagonists in perfect balance.»

«Images from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are rare enough, but to capture such a powerful interaction between a Tibetan fox and a marmot — two species crucial to the ecology of this high-grassland region — is extraordinary», Cox added.

Bao accepted the award at a ceremony held on Tuesday evening at the London museum.

Wildlife photographers 2019 reveal stunning images