‘The Rat Game’ – Wildlife Photographer of the Year
![](https://matthewmaran.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/the_rat_game.jpg)
I’m delighted to be highly commended in the mammal behaviour category of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year. ‘The Rat Game’ was taken on the allotment close to where I live in north London and was the most exhilarating experience I’ve had in four years photographing there. Watching three foxes squabble over ownership of the poor rat was such a thrill. They chased each other around, tossing it in the air and catching it again in a display of cat-like behaviour. It’s extra satisfying to be awarded in a competition I’ve coveted for so many years and view as the benchmark for the world’s best wildlife photography. When I first entered back in 2001 I thought the answer was to travel to witness the best wildlife encounters. I couldn’t have been more wrong as my two successes in the past three years in this competition have come from working on a project close to home. The pandemic has meant many wildlife photographers and filmmakers having to turn their lenses to accessible stories close to home. I hope this inspires more to do the same so we can celebrate, inform and improve the state of nature in the UK.