'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin's son becomes 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year'

The Natural History Museum in London has declared Robert Irwin, son of famed wildlife conservationist, Steve Irwin, as this year's "Wildlife Photographer of the Year."

The winning photograph is a drone shot that features the devastating bushfires that ravaged Australia last year. The dramatic scene captured a line of fire as it crept through the forest. One side is seen to be a singed wasteland, while the other side is still full of lush treetops. Tearing right through the middle is a glowing line of red flames.

The image was reportedly captured in northern Australia, which is only one part of the country that was vastly affected by the disaster. In its announcement, The NHS said, "Congratulations
@RobertIrwin! It's more important than ever to shine a light on the impacts of climate change. This image shows habitat and biodiversity loss happening in real time and we hope it inspires people to make a positive change in their daily lives."

Robert took to Twitter to share his achievement and said, "I'm thrilled to announce I've won the Wildlife Photographer of The Year People's Choice Award. For me, photography is about telling important stories to make a difference for our planet. I'm humbled to receive this huge honour and shine a light on the effects of climate change."

Robert's entry received received 55,486 votes from around the world to win the competition, besting 49,000 submissions.

A shortlist of 25 images were chosen from the entire bulk of entries.

Robert Irwin's winning photo, along with the top four entries will be displayed in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London. The exhibition is scheduled to open on August 1, 2021, which is currently the projected date for the museum's reopening amid the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the longest-running and most prestigious nature photography competition.