Photo of frozen trees taken in dead man's memory beats kangaroo in scorched Australian bush and lions in the rain to win People's Choice award in Wildlife Photographer of the Year

 An image of willows reflected in a frozen Italian lake dedicated to a lost friend has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year people's choice award.

The wintry shot of Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy by Italian photographer Cristiano Vendramin came top in an online vote by more than 31,800 nature and photography enthusiasts from a shortlist of 25 images.The shortlist for the people's choice award was chosen by the Natural History Museum from the 50,000 images from 95 countries submitted for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Among the 25 pictures, shots that also proved favourites with those voting were an image of two male lions in the rain and a portrait of a kangaroo and her joey emerging from the aftermath of Australian wildfires.

A shot of a surprising encounter between an eagle and a bear cub up a tree and an image of two male golden pheasants were the other pictures that proved most popular with the online voters.

The winning photograph and the four runners-up will be displayed in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. 

Director of the Natural History Museum, Dr Douglas Gurr, said: 'Cristiano's poignant image symbolises the positive impact nature can have on our wellbeing and lives. It can provide solace and a space to reflect on the past and even spark hope for the future.

'These past two years have redefined what truly matters in life, the people and the environments that play a crucial role in our own personal ecosystems.

'I hope those who look at this landscape frozen in time, are reminded of the importance of connecting to the natural world and the steps we must all take to protect it.'  

Cristiano Vendramin took his winning picture while visiting Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy. He noticed the water was unusually high and the willows were partially submerged, creating the reflections on the water. The view reminded him of a close friend who loved the place before he died. Mr Vendramin added: 'I want to think he made me feel this feeling that I'll never forget. For this reason, this photograph is dedicated to him'

Among the 25 pictures, another shot that proved to be a favourite with those voting was an image of two male lions facing each other as heavy rainfall surrounded them. The photograph, called Shelter from the Rain, was taken by Ashley McCord and won Highly Commended in the competition. During a visit to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, Ms McCord captured a tender moment between a pair of male lions. She watched the lions until the rain was falling so hard that they were barely visible 

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This image, called Hope in a burned plantation, shows a mother eastern grey kangaroo with her joey near Mallacoota, Victoria, in the aftermath of devastating Australian wildfires. The photographer, Canada-born Jo-Anne McArthur, was Highly Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award for the image. Photojournalist Ms McArthur travelled to Australia in early 2020 to document the stories of the animals affected by bushfires sweeping through the states of New South Wales and Victoria

The Eagle and the Bear by Jeroen Hoekendijk was Highly Commended in the annual photography competition. This poignant image shows a black bear cub resting on a tree branch to stay safe while its mother went away in search of food. Meanwhile, a juvenile bald eagle has perched in the same tree to keep a watchful eye on the animal as it took a nap in the temperate rainforest of Anan in Alaska

Dancing in the Snow by Qiang Guo was taken in the Lishan Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province, China. The photographer captured the moment two male golden pheasants fought for the prime spot on the top of a tree trunk, gracefully switching places in a movement Guo compared to dance. The birds inhabit dense forests in mountainous regions and are native to China. Most of their time is spent foraging for food on the forest floor, with flight reserved for getting away from predators and to roost in trees overnight

Cristiano Vendramin: What inspired the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year people's choice award?

Cristiano Vendramin took his winning picture while visiting Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy

Cristiano Vendramin took his winning picture while visiting Santa Croce Lake in northern Italy.

He noticed the water was unusually high and the willows were partially submerged, creating the reflections on the water.

The view reminded him of a close friend who loved the place before he died. Mr Vendramin added: 'I want to think he made me feel this feeling that I'll never forget. For this reason, this photograph is dedicated to him.'

And he said: 'I hope that my photography will encourage people to understand that the beauty of nature can be found everywhere around us, and we can be pleasantly surprised by the many landscapes so close to home.

'I believe having a daily relationship with nature is increasingly more necessary to have a serene and healthy life.

'Nature photography is therefore important to remind us of this bond, which we must preserve, and in whose memory, we can take refuge.'