The most beautiful animal photos of the year

The picture of the predatory wolf has won the prestigious award of Veolia Wild Habitat 2009.

Jose Luis Rodriguez evoked the jury's imagination into the picture he had cooked for years and even drew sketches on paper.

The image of "jumping wolf" won the top prize this year.Photo: BBC.

When he began planning to take the picture, Rodriguez feared that he could not get close enough to the Iberian wolves, a branch of the gray wolf. Iberian wolves live near humans in northern Spain. They are often chased by humans for fear of pets and therefore very cautious with humans.

To capture this picture, Rodriguez was very patient and carefully observed the movements of the wolves. He used an infrared trap specially made to capture the image of a wolf when it jumped in the air. "I want to take a picture where you will see a wolf doing a hunting action, but there is no blood," BBC quoted Rodriguez yesterday. "I don't want a grim picture."

Rodriguez hopes that his picture will portray the "greatness and power of the wolf" and will become the picture used to show the beauty of the Iberian wolf and the Spanish can how proud it is to have this symbolic animal.

This is the 45th year of the competition, organized by the BBC's Wildlife magazine and London's Natural History Museum. The jury had to select from 43,000 photos sent to choose the winner.

The image of "jumping wolf" won in the animal portrait category and then won the highest award because according to the judges, it portrayed the nature of the wolf.

Here are some other winning photos:

The male jaguar stood silently on the riverbank staring intently at the photographer for an hour.Photo won the Wild Life prize is in danger.Photo: BBC

Male yellow birds are fighting to protect oat fruits.The photo won the Young Photographer of the Year award.Photo: BBC.

The photographer's cat is protecting the territory.Photo won the prize of Garden and Urban Wildlife.Photo: BBC

Snowflakes are making it difficult for bugs.Photo won the Animal Prize in the living environment.Photo: BBC