Hungarian photographer Imre Potyó is the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. The competition, organized by the German Society for Nature Photography (GDT), celebrates the best European nature photography each year, and Potyó’s striking photo beat over 26,000 others for the grand prize.

Potyó took top honors in the 26th annual nature photography competition for his incredible photo of bioluminescent pin mold growing from bat guano, with dozens of bats hibernating in the background, dimly and safely illuminated by a flashlight.

Imre Potyó, a scientist, environmental expert, and photographer, is no stranger to photographing bats or to winning major photography competition prizes. The photographer has been photographing bats in protected, restricted-access mine tunnels in Hungary for 13 years.…