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Can you pick a winner? These incredible animal portraits are competing for National Geographic fame

The contest is accepting entries until 16 November.

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Nature Photographer of the Year contest is showcasing a selection of some of the incredible photographs already received.

The Nature Photographer of the Year contest kicked off on 15 August and is accepting entries until 16 November.

The “animal portraits” category for 2016 is showcasing the awe-inspiring and diverse natural world around us.

Here’s just a taste of what has been submitted so far, can you see a winner already?

wait and see
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  • wait and see

    Source: Hiroshi Tanita
  • Water Drops

    Source: Takeshi Marumoto
  • Cape Buffalo with Yellow-billed oxpecker

    Source: Barbara Fleming
  • Ocean guest

    Source: Mike Korostelev
  • DAWN

    Source: Picasa
  • Now You See Me

    Source: Scott Dere
  • Breeding Display, Great White Egret

    Source: Rosemary Brooks
  • Mother Ostrich

    Source: Yu huiping
  • Dawn admiring in the frozen continent

    Source: Vandeira C.
  • The path less trodden

    Source: Harry Lyndon-Skeggs
  • NEVER bother Dad when he's sleeping

    Source: Pam Kuhn
  • two plus four 7

    Source: GUNTHER RIEHLE

The 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest is accepting entries in one or all of four categories: Landscape, Environmental Issues, Action and Animal Portraits.

The grand-prize winner will receive a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos with National Geographic Expeditions and two 15-minute image portfolio reviews with National Geographic photo editors.

Read: ‘One of the worst infestations of Portuguese Man-of-War in over 100 years’>

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29 Comments
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    Mute john Appleseed
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:20 PM

    The owl picture is amazing

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    Mute Grace Jeaney
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    Oct 8th 2016, 8:51 PM

    Agreed, they are the most beautiful birds!

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Oct 8th 2016, 10:32 PM

    Eye.

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    Mute Mary Bigley
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:32 PM

    Absolutely stunning pictures – thank you for this wonderful display!

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    Mute Phil Quinlan
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:21 PM

    Owl all the way…

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    Mute NeilGoochFerriter
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:40 PM

    Owl picture is incredible

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:32 PM

    Owl picture has to be

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:41 PM

    Owl, or egret.

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    Mute Karen Maria
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:58 PM

    Monkey or penguins for me although they are all fab :)

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    Mute nousername
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    Oct 8th 2016, 8:28 PM

    Waterdrops and the penguin. Love them.

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:24 PM

    Wow. My favourite is the buffalo and the bird.

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Oct 8th 2016, 10:31 PM

    That little mate would probably land on him and ate a few parasites before bating off again. Class buzz. Plus the colour impact, yellow against grey.

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    Mute Debi Nikita
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:19 PM

    Now You See Me…… What an incredible photo of an Owl. Simply outstanding.

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    Mute Winston Smith
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:25 PM

    Owl, what Owl? Monkey, white bird, penguins or Ostriches.

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    Mute wiklagirl
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    Oct 8th 2016, 8:12 PM

    The owl is photo 6 Winston

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    Mute Winston Smith
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:02 PM

    Jez, thought that was a tree stump…where are my goggles!

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 8th 2016, 10:03 PM

    Winston , I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that ! ..

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    Mute Paul A Whelan
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    Oct 9th 2016, 5:28 PM

    About 80% of the owl is visible.

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    Mute Shane Walsh
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    Oct 8th 2016, 8:04 PM

    Mind blowing stuff

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    Mute Evelyn Monteith Hughes
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    Oct 8th 2016, 7:23 PM

    Owl or ostrich

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    Mute Donna Hughes
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    Oct 8th 2016, 10:08 PM

    Buffalo and owl

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    Mute Etherman
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    Oct 8th 2016, 8:17 PM

    Polar bear’s arse for me. Strange fetish I’ll admit. Still, aren’t they all.

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:25 PM

    @Etherman: You had to go and ruin it. Actually I’d pay good money to witness you attempt to take a Polar Bear from behind.

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    Mute Malvolio32
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:52 PM

    Mama ostrich is clearly not happy about something.

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    Mute MARK O 'LEARY
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    Oct 8th 2016, 9:19 PM

    The Feathered Giraffes are the best.

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    Mute Paul A Whelan
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    Oct 9th 2016, 5:26 PM

    All stunning images. No winner. All just brilliant and hopefully stop humans from thinking about themselves all the time.

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    Mute Deirdre Doherty
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    Oct 9th 2016, 10:07 AM

    There all amazing the owl eye .the polar.

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    Mute Deirdre Mac Mahon
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    Oct 9th 2016, 9:15 AM

    All brilliant except maybe the lions: too “ordinary”!
    Buffalo + oxpecker fantastic
    Owl: wow!
    Love the macaque and the ostriches… And the walrus…

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    Mute Stephen Maher
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    Oct 9th 2016, 12:58 AM

    It has the be the owlone, and the owlfella’s not bad either.

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