This endangered monkey portrait has won Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018

A portrait of two endangered monkeys in a remote Chinese forest, shot by a Dutch photographer, has won Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018.

Forty-five thousand photos were submitted for this year's competition which showcases wildlife photography as an art form, whilst challenging us to consider our place in the natural world and our responsibility to protect it. Marsel van Oosten's winning portrait 'The Golden Couple' was crowned the overall winner.

Marsel spent several days in China’s Qinling Mountains following and observing a troop of 50 Qinling golden snub-nosed monkeys. This image was captured as a male monkey rested briefly on a stone seat to watch an altercation between two male leaders from other groups down in the valley. He was joined by a female from his small troop.

The light was seldom right in the forest to photograph this highly endangered species who are often on the move, so Marsel knew he had to be quick. He took the photo from an angle with light streaming through the forest canopy to show both the male’s beautiful pelage and his striking blue face.

Marsel's winning shot will be now go on display at the Natural History Museum, alongside the other winning entries, as part of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 exhibition.

See some of the other winners below...