‘Station Squabble’ just scooped a coveted win at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
If you live here long enough, you’re likely to see at least one fight on the Underground. But you’ve probably never seen a fight like this one before! An incredible photo of two mice having a fight on an Underground platform is currently on display at the Natural History Museum, as part of the excellent Wildlife Photographer of the Year award. And, clearly resonating with the angsty commuters amongst us, it’s just scooped the coveted People’s Choice award, beating out twenty-four other strong options – although I guess that’s unsurprising, since this photo was clearly spoiling for a fight…
The photograph, named ‘Station Squabble’, was made possible by the patience of photographer Sam Rowley, who lay on a Tube platform waiting for the perfect shot. As the mice gathered up food scraps, they eventually came to blows over one particularly tasty morsel, setting up a split-second scene that Sam was able to capture.
Obviously, the whole “animals behaving like humans” angle makes this photo so compelling, but it’s also hard not to look at the image and empathise, given the vagaries of the Central line at 9am. Perhaps it’s this kinship with their fellow Underground commuters which propelled the photo to victory, with some 28,000 voters helping it overcome breathtaking images featuring jaguars, black rhinos, and orangutans.
To see the photo in real life, mosey along to the Natural History Museum, where you’ll find the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards in residence until May 31st. Yeah, they’ve got brawling mice, but with an array of the most jaw-dropping shots from the natural world, I can promise you that every image is moving and fascinating in equal measure. Truly, it’s as close to unmissable as a photography competition gets…