23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
Against the Odds

The coyote pulled the vole from under the snow, the tiny animal twisting and fighting back. Instead of killing it immediately, the coyote tossed and chased it briefly across the frozen ground before finally eating it—an unexpected mix of play and instinct.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Wyoming, United States of America
Camera: OM-1MarkII
Copyright: © Jacqueline Burke