One of only 2,000 Iberian lynx captured in stunning photo gains top prize and international attention – "It's the highlight of my 30 years as a nature photographer," says winner

A lynx with tufted ears and spotted fur stands on a dirt path, playfully engaging with a small mouse mid-air. The background is a soft-focus forest.

"I never imagined that a single moment could take me this far," says photographer Josef Stefan, when his stunning wildlife image was first named a finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award 2026 – often dubbed the "Oscar of nature photography."

Now, Stefan's photo of a rare young Iberian lynx playfully throwing a rodent into the air before killing and devouring it has taken the top prize.