The winners of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest from the Natural History Museum were announced back in October, but the most coveted prize is the People's Choice Award, because that one is based on your votes. Out of almost 50,000 entries from 95 countries, the judges selected 25 finalists. They are all enchanting, giving us an up-close look at a world we may never see ourselves. In the picture above by Andy Parkinson, titled Tender Touch, two mountain hares in the Monadhliath Mountains of Scotland appear to have come to a mutual decision during mating season. The image below by Stefan Christmann, titled Troublemaker, looks like a scene from the movie Happy Feet. An emperor penguin and its chick are confronting an Adélie penguin. Adélie penguins sometimes interrupt a feeding session hoping to catch any food a clumsy emperor chick may drop, especially if he's "accidentally" bumped.
You can see all 25 finalists and read the stories behind them at Smithsonian. See a snowshoe hare show off its big feet, a polar bear sleeping on an ice floe, a young Simba getting a bath, and a massive flock of starlings forming the shape of a bird. Some feature animals that appear to be posing for the camera, while others were once in a lifetime opportunities that the photographer caught at just the right moment. Which one grabs you the most? Register your vote at the People's Choice Gallery before January 31st. The winner will be announced on February 7th.