2025 Empathy Photo Competition – ACE for Wildlife Network

2025 Empathy Photo Contest

Calling all zoos, aquariums, and conservation organizations across the Advancing Conservation through Empathy for Wildlife Network! We’re excited to launch second ACE for Wildlife Network Photo Contest, and we want you to share what empathy in action looks like at your organization. This contest is an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective on empathy between animals and people, and how the use of photography and storytelling can play a role in conservation.

Congratulations to our 2025 Winners!

Papita the Harbor Seal by Kaiti Grant from the Alaska SeaLife Center

Rockstar the Parrot by Nikki Baree from Nally’s Parrot Sanctuary

Mandarin Dragonet by Jordann Tomasek from the Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Green Tree Python, Kaa by Haley Munson from Utah’s Hogle Zoo

Monarch Caterpillar by Christine Eckles from Blank Park Zoo

Karma (juvenile) and Safara (adult) by Elliott Fackler from Hattiesburg Zoo

Bunberry and Beans the Green-Naped lorikeets by Jennifer D’Agostino from Oklahoma City Zoo

Elephant Nose by Eric Carlson from Georgia Aquarium

Gaboon Viper by Joel Miller from Milwaukee County Zoo

Meerkats by Jennifer D’Agostino from Oklahoma City Zoo

Horned Puffling, Starburst by Kaiti Grant from the Alaska SeaLife Center

Green Sea Turtle by Eric Carlson from the Georgia Aquarium

Caribbean Cave Cockroach by Allison Menelli from Oakland Zoo

Contest Details

Participants can submit their photos through our online portal to any of the three following categories. Only one photo may be submitted to each category. More details on these categories can be found below.

Category I: Animal portraits

Category II: Animal behavior and personality

Category III: Storytelling

Submission Category Details

Animal Portraits

Photos in this category should have the following qualities:

The animal is the main subject
Animals should be front-facing, or side facing

Animal Behavior

Photos in this category should include any of the following features:

The animal’s personality or story is conveyed (you may add a caption in the submission for context)
The image should showcase animal’s facial or body expression
The animal’s unique behavior is captured

Storytelling

Photos in this category can do any of the following

Depict a visible bond between animals, or between a person and an animal—this could be through touch, eye contact, parallel body language, or other cues of connection
Capture moments of empathy or care: Highlight scenes where care is being shown to an animal (e.g., medical treatment, enrichment, or comfort), especially if it reflects a shared experience someone could relate to
Include themes of diversity, equity, accessibility, or inclusion (DEAI) – Photos that celebrate inclusive experiences—such as guests of all abilities engaging with exhibits, multilingual signage helping someone connect, or staff from diverse backgrounds participating in animal care

Your photos will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

How well does this photo showcase empathy
How well does this meet the criteria in each category
Quality and impression of the photo/ composition

Photo Guidelines and FAQs

For each category, we will determine winners for each of the following taxa:

Reptiles and amphibians
Terrestrial invertebrates
Mammals (terrestrial and marine)
Birds
Marine invertebrates and fish

Photo dimensions should roughly the following sizes:

Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels (1:1 aspect ratio)

Landscape: 1920 x 1080 px pixels (16:9 aspect ratio)

Portrait: 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio)

Format: JPEG or PNG

Submission Details:

Images must be your own, taken within the last five years at a zoo, aquarium, or other conservation organization. Do not submit a photo previously submitted to an ACE for Wildlife Photo competition.
No AI-generated images or heavily altered photo.
Your submission must include your name, organization, and title of the photo.
Your photos must include a caption, and a description of your photo. Please include animal names when known. We encourage you to tell a short story about your submission if information is available.
Anyone who is in the ACE for Wildlife Network is eligible to submit photo.
You do NOT need to be a professional photographer to participate!

All winning photos will be:

Displayed on the ACE for Wildlife Network website, a newsletter article and future Network publications.
Showcased at the 2026 ACE for Wildlife Network virtual Summit.
Winners will receive a small prize.