World’s best wildlife photographers join together in global project to redefine the ‘Big Five’

Over 160 of the world’s greatest wildlife photographers and conservationists have been brought together in a photography-inspired mission. The aim is to celebrate the beauty of the animal world, to raise awareness of the crucial issues facing the world’s wildlife, and redefine the meaning of the hunting trophy term “The Big Five”.

The mission has resulted in a beautiful photo book called “The New Big Five,” which was the brainchild of Wildlife photographer Graeme Green. Until recently, the Big Five referred to the five big-game animals that were most difficult for colonial hunters to shoot and kill for trophies.

Green wanted to reclaim the “gruesome, antiquated” term and asked people around the world to vote on the five animals they would most like to photograph and see in photos. Shot with a camera, not a gun, of course.

More than fifty thousand people voted, and the New Big 5 of Wildlife Photography was born. The New Big Five list comprises Elephants, Polar Bears, Lions, Gorillas, and Tigers. The book contains many beautiful images of these majestic creatures, from baby polar bears and lion cubs to close-up portraits of mountain gorillas that almost look like they were shot in a studio.

Looking at the photos in this book is a powerful reminder of the incredible beauty and diversity of the natural world, and what we stand to lose if we don’t take urgent action to protect wildlife and the planet.

– Graeme Green

However, the book also contains many other stunning images of other endangered wildlife from land, sea, and sky. These include rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, monkeys, pangolins, snow leopards, bears, lemurs, frogs, insects, birds, turtles, sharks, and whales. The one factor that unifies them all? The images are larger than life and truly leap off the page.

The New Big Five photo book will be released in April 2023 and is available for pre-order now for $75.

Cover image: ©Daryl and Sharna Balfour. Mountain Gorilla. Status, Endangered. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

All images from The New Big 5 by Graeme Green