From a squirrel on a cold February morning to a caged Sumatran tiger, the first batch of images from this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 are stunning.

Over 50,000 photographs from 92 countries were entered into the esteemed competition, just 100 making the final exhibition which returns to the Natural History Museum on 20 October.

From those selected, a jury of international experts will then choose the winning images based on their creativity, originality and technical excellence. These will be selected before the opening, on the 17 October.

Thirteen of the finalists have been released online — featuring an incredible image of a bald eagle, two seals swimming under an ice sheet, and an arctic fox carrying an egg.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Show all 13 1 /13 Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Saved but caged by Steve Winter, US A Sumatran tiger cub whose back leg has been amputated. Finalist 2017, The Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single Image Steve Winter/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Bold eagle by Klaus Nigge, Germany A soaked bald eagle. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits Klaus Nigge/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists The insiders by Qing Lin, China Anemone fish showing off the parasitic isopod's that live inside their mouths. Finalist 2017, Under Water Qing Lin/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Winter pause by Mats Andersson, Sweden A squirrel keeps warm on a cold February morning. Finalist 2017, Black and White Mats Andersson/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Swim gym by Laurent Ballesta, France A mother and cub play under a sheet of ice. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Mammals Laurent Ballesta/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists The power of the matriarch by David Lloyd, New Zealand/UK A mother elephant leads a pack to a watering hole in Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits David Lloyd/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Resplendent delivery by Tyohar Kastiel, Israel A resplendent quetzals. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Birds Tyohar Kastiel/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Arctic treasure by Sergey Gorshkov, Russia An arctic fox carries a stolen egg. Finalist 2017, Animal Portraits Sergey Gorshkov/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Sewage surfer by Justin Hofman, US A tiny seahorse uses a plastic cottonbud to travel downstream. Finalist 2017, The Wildlife Photojournalist Award: Single Image Justin Hofman/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Glimpse of a lynx by Laura Albiac Vilas, Spain An elusive lynx, captured at the Sierra de Andújar natural park in Spain. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years Laura Albiac Vilas/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Saguaro twist by Jack Dykinga, US The Saguaro cacti in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert National Monument. The plant over grows over 12 metres tall. Finalist 2017, Plants and Fungi Jack Dykinga/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Romance among the angels by Andrey Narchuk, Russia Sea angels, who are both male and female, prepare to insert their copulatory organs into each other. Finalist 2017, Behaviour: Invertebrates Andrey Narchuk/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 finalists Bear hug by Ashleigh Scully, US A young cub hugs her mother. Finalist 2017, Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 11-14 Years Ashleigh Scully/2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Last year, the overall winner was Tim Laman, who won the prestigious award for ‘Entwined Lives’, a vertical photograph — taken with a GoPro — of an orangutan climbing a tree.