An American is crowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Steve Winter Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008.

American photographer Steve Winter is named Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008.

Steve's image titled "Snowstorm leopard" was voted as being the most striking and memorable of all the competition's entries. As well as the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year he's also won a large cash prize.

British teenager Catriona Parfitt took the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year crown with her image of a lion waiting to attack a giraffe.

This was a record year for entrants to the contest and Stefano Unterthiner, who was runner-up to Steve and winner of the Animal Portraits category is very happy to have taken part:

"I see myself as an ambassador for nature in a way. I love photography and I love what I do."

Stefano Unterthiner winner of Animal Portraits, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008.

His pictures of macaques which were taken while on a trip to the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi show some very cheeky animals and this is what got the judges attention.

Sophie Stafford the editor of BBC Wildlife magazine said: "The goofy expression, bad hair and composition make this an engaging and original portrait of a little known, endangered species."

You can learn more about Stefano by reading his interview with ePHOTOzine and more information about the contest can be found on the National History Museum website.