Alan Taylor via The Atlantic:

‘The Aftermath. Winner, Behavior: Mammals, and Overall Winner, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026. Federico Veronesi witnessed this powerful moment of an elephant carrying a dead calf, a rare glimpse into complex animal behaviors. Veronesi was tracking elephants when he came across an unusual pattern of drag marks in the sand of a dry riverbed. The source became clear when he caught up with a family group. A female emerged with the calf, its leg wedged between her tusk and trunk. Behaviors centering on death have been observed in both Asian and African elephants, including vocalizations, guarding the dead, inspecting and handling bones, and carrying the deceased.…’