3 Winning Photos of Reptiles from the 2025 World Nature Photography Awards-and how it stole the fish that “breathes the skin”

Nature will fight without amphibians and reptiles. It is vital to the world’s ecosystems, acting both as predators and as a prey, while serving as indicators of environmental health. However, it is one of the most endangered creatures on the planet, facing habitat loss, climate change and diseases to worrying rates.

THE World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA) Awards They were based on the belief that the frozen moments of beauty and the fragility of nature can shift the prospects and inspire the action – they encourage us to see the world differently and take measures, large or small to maintain.

These incredible shots – the first three in “Behavior – amphibians and reptiles“Category from WNPA 2025 – gives us a rare opportunity to observe some fascinating creatures and behaviors, which otherwise could go unnoticed.

A Namib Sand Gecko shot by Marti Phillips, USA (won bronze)

This tiny creature is a namib sand gecko (Pachydactylus Rangei), a miracle living in the desert that remains incredibly small even in adulthood. This exciting species is entirely limited to namib sand sand.

These types hatch smaller than a penny and rarely grow beyond 4 inches (10 cm) length, including the tail of fat withdrawal-a feature shared with many other lizards. Their small size allows them to move effortlessly all night of the sand at night, slipping into tiny holes where the biggest predators cannot reach.

Namib Sand Geckos’ translucent skin– You can slightly see their internal organs through their abdomen – it’s not just for demonstration. This unique feature helps to combine it in its sandy environment. And because they live in loose sandy hairs, they have these truly cool-webbed legs to walk in the sand. Essentially, they work like snow shoes in the snow.

Unlike many lizards, it has no lashes – on the contrary, it licks his eyes clearly, which can be the reason you see sand around her mouth in this photo. And if this is not strange enough, this tiny creature barks, crumples and even screams when threatened.

A Agama lizard shot by Jules Oldroyd, UK (won silver)

The fearless reptile you see here is an Agama lizard, a species that loves heat, found throughout the savannah and the deserts of Africa.

The Agamades are bold, fast, and are often confused near large animals such as lions – describing the warmth and occasionally shape the insects attracted to their presence. This is an example of exciting, where the lizard benefits from the presence of the lion, but the lion is completely unaffected.

The hugs are colored reptiles-miles can convert electric blue and fiery orange during the mating period to signal dominance and attract comrades. But their vibrant colors are not permanent. Darkest at colder temperatures and weaken when they stress or recede.

Agamades are known to be explosive sprinters, especially when they escape a state of life or death, such as being hunted by a predator. And if this is not wild enough, these tiny lizards participate in push-up competitions to intimidate opponents and bet their claim for territory-to turn simple exercise into a battle for sovereignty.

This may look relaxed, but don’t make any mistake – like the Namib Sand Gecko, Agamas is built for survival.

A blue Mudskipper spots fired from Georgina Steytletler, Australia (earned gold)

It is a blue mudskipper stigma (Boleophthallmus caeruleomaculatus), an amphibian fish (both technically neither a reptile nor an amphibian) that thrives in swamps Mudflats all over Australia and New Guinea. This particular person, the photographer confirms, was photographed in the intermediate muds of the Bay of Robuck, Broom, Western Australia.

Unlike most fish, mudskippers spend more time than water than in it, using their muscular thoracic fins to “walk”, climb and even jump-as shown in this incredible middle plan.

But this is not just a random jump – this is a territorial display. Mudskippers are extremely aggressive fighters and males use dramatic jumps, fins and head battles to defend the piece of mud from opponents. The elevated dorsal fin is a clear warning signal, telling the invaders to remove.

Breathing is not a problem for these lovers of the earth. Blue spots, like most other mudskippers, have excellent vascular skin and a specialized oral cavity, allowing them to absorb oxygen from the air as they remain liquid. They also trap the water in their chambers, allowing them to extract oxygen even when they move to the earth.

They may be fish, but their behavior is closer to amphibians or even reptiles, making them one of the most bizarre evolutionary bonds in the animal kingdom.

Photos like this remind us that each animal – either a wild mud or a pet at home – has its own unique personality. Curious about the characteristics of your pet? Get the scientist Pet personality test to discover their unique profile.