A striking photograph of a polar bear standing atop a dead sperm whale in the Arctic pack ice has been named one of the winners of the 2026 World Press Photo Contest. Captured by photographer Roie Galitz using a drone launched from a small boat, the image highlights the extraordinary scale difference between the apex predator and her colossal meal.
Titled Polar Bear on Sperm Whale, the shot depicts a female polar bear dwarfed by the carcass of a male sperm whale weighing more than 35 tonnes—over 100 times her own mass. The location of the photograph, in shallow waters north of Norway's Svalbard archipelago, makes the encounter particularly unusual. Sperm whales typically inhabit deep open-ocean trenches rather than shallow polar pack ice. Conservation organization Polar Bears International explained that while most whales sink after dying, decomposition gases cause roughly ten percent to float, allowing them to drift into shallower coastal seas.
The competition's jury commended the image for its unusual perspective and scale, stating that it "provokes curiosity and wonder, turning the frame into a visual and conceptual study of nature."
Beyond its visual appeal, the image serves as a poignant reflection of the environmental challenges facing the region. Arctic warming continues to rapidly destroy polar bear habitats, placing severe pressure on the species. Experts warn that polar bear populations could experience drastic declines before 2100 as melting ice limits their traditional seal-hunting grounds.
The award-winning photograph is currently on display at the MPB Gallery in London as part of the World Press Photo Exhibition, which runs through September 30.