Polar bears to sea lions: Stories behind the camera from Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition – run by the Natural History Museum – serves as an annual celebration of nature’s majesty.

This year more than ever, the images reflect not just the aesthetic glory of their subjects, but the precariousness of their futures too – with stunning results.

We’ve been speaking to some of this year’s entrants, who gave us an exclusive preview of their work