23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Wildlife
The little guardian

A young Galapagos iguana pauses on a lava rock, its tiny claws gripping the surface with quiet determination. Still growing into its scales, it carries the calm confidence of a creature perfectly adapted to one of the world’s most unique ecosystems.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Ecuador
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © Agnieszka Wieczorek