Rare white humpback whale calf wins top 2026 nature photography award

A stunning image of a rare white humpback whale calf and its mother has won the top prize at the 2026 World Nature Photography Awards. The photograph, taken by Jono Allen, captures a moment in Vava'u, Tonga, where the calf—named Māhina—was first seen in the summer of 2024. The awards, featuring entries from 51 countries, highlight extraordinary wildlife moments from around the globe.

The winning shot stands out due to the calf's albinism, an extremely rare condition in humpback whales. Scientists estimate that only one in 40,000 is born with this trait. Māhina was first spotted in Tonga's waters, where humpback whales gather to breed and give birth.

Humpback whales have shown signs of recovery in recent years. Their global population reached around 135,000 by 2018, leading conservationists to classify them as a species of 'least concern'. However, their behaviour is changing. Warmer ocean temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere have caused them to migrate weeks earlier than in past decades, as shifting food supplies alter their traditional routes.

Before these climate-driven shifts, humpbacks followed well-established paths. In the Southern Hemisphere, they travelled along Australia's coasts, South America's Pacific shores, and southern Africa. Their journeys connected Antarctic feeding grounds to tropical breeding areas across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

The awards ceremony also recognised other remarkable wildlife images. Among them was a female gorilla in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, captured in a quiet moment as she observed a butterfly. The competition, supported by Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative in partnership with CNN, aims to raise awareness of sustainability issues through visual storytelling.

Jono Allen received a $1,000 cash prize for his winning photograph of Māhina and her mother. The image draws attention to both the beauty of marine life and the ongoing changes in whale migration patterns. As humpback populations grow, their shifting movements serve as a visible indicator of the broader impacts of climate change on ocean ecosystems.