Imre Potyó wins European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026

Hungarian photographer Imre Potyó has become the first Hungarian to win the grand prize at the GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. His winning photograph, titled ‘Hidden Worlds’, captures a unique biological phenomenon in a closed mine tunnel within Hungary’s Börzsöny Mountains.

The macro image depicts pin mold growing on bat guano beneath hibernating lesser horseshoe bats. The bats occasionally wake during winter to hunt insects, leaving behind droppings that create a substrate for the fungi, which appear like tiny flowers under specific lighting. Potyó, a staff member at the Duna-Ipoly National Park Directorate, used a macro lens with long exposure and focus-shifting techniques to capture the scene without disturbing the animals.

The competition, organized by the German Society for Nature Photography, received over 26,000 entries from 46 countries. In addition to the grand prize, Potyó received two second-place honors. Other Hungarian photographers, including Csaba Daróczi, Norbert Kaszás, and Orsolya Haarberg, also received recognition from the international jury.