The Winners of the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards

This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you may go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://petapixel.com/2025/07/26/the-winners-of-the-2025-mangrove-photography-awards/
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us

A split image: on the left, a flock of pink birds flies over green water; on the right, two blue-gray birds with open wings and beaks face each other on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. — Photo credit: Mark Ian Cook (left) and Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi (proper).

The winners of the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards have been introduced, highlighting these distinctive and fragile ecosystems.

Today is World Mangrove Day, and the Mangrove Action Project is marking it with this implausible competitors, which has been received by Mark Ian Cook along with his picture, ‘Birds Eye View of the Hunt.’

At first look, the scene of Roseate Spoonbills gliding over a lemon shark looking mullet within the mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay might give the looks of a peaceable and balanced
habitat. But Cook’s aerial shot paperwork what might be the final of the Everglades’ iconic birds, whose very well being and survival are intrinsically linked with the well being of the Everglades.

Aerial view of a flock of pink birds flying over greenish water, with a large dark fish or shark swimming below the surface to the right of the birds. — A flock of Roseate Spoonbills glide over a lemon shark looking mullet within the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay. Overall winner. | Mark Ian Cook

“Historically, Florida Bay was the primary nesting region of the Roseate Spoonbill in the US, but this species is becoming increasingly rare there as sea level rise negatively impacts their important mangrove foraging habitat,” Cook says.

“Spoonbills are tactile foragers, meaning they feed by touch. However, for this foraging method to be successful, the birds need relatively shallow water with very high densities of fish. This becomes particularly critical during the energetic bottleneck of the nesting season.”

Wildlife

Aerial view of black animals, likely wildebeest, moving in a line across a textured, yellow and white landscape, creating winding trails behind them. — Blue-winged Teal create ephemeral paintings as they dabble for meals within the chai-coloured shallows of Florida Bay, Florida. Winner of the Birds class. | Mark Ian Cook

Three flamingos stand in shallow water with their reflections visible, two of them with heads down drinking, set against a blurred green background of foliage. — In the Jazan area, mangrove timber are important coastal habitats that present a wealthy meals setting for migratory flamingos. These birds feed on algae and small invertebrates like crustaceans and plankton within the shallow waters. The mangroves supply a protected refuge, shielding them from disturbances and predators—making them a really perfect relaxation cease throughout migration and a key contributor to biodiversity alongside Saudi Arabia’s coastlines. Runner Up within the Birds class. | Ibrahim Alshwamin

Two birds with blue and white feathers face each other on a tree branch, wings spread wide, surrounded by dense green leaves, appearing to interact or communicate. — Moment two Collared Kingfishers struggle close to a mangrove forest fringe. Highly Commended within the Bird class. | Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi.

A split-level photo shows a bird standing on a branch over clear water, with a school of small fish swimming below and lush green trees and blue sky in the background. — A Pacific Reef Heron hunts a faculty of fish from a mangrove department in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Highly Commended within the Bird class. | Nicholas Hess

A young proboscis monkey with reddish-brown fur is perched on tree branches surrounded by green leaves in a dense forest, looking curiously toward the camera. — A younger proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove forest. Winner of the Mammals class. | Satwika Satria

Three Bengal tigers stand close together, partially hidden among dense green bushes and tall plants, blending into the lush jungle background. — Sundarbans is a difficult place as a result of Tiger territories preserve submerging into water each six hours in keeping with the moon cycle. While there’s a fable amongst folks that Tigers don’t do scent/territory markings right here as a result of they lose the mark in water in a short time, I used to be fortunate to {photograph} this uncommon conduct in mangroves. The humorous half was that the complete urine went on the subadult Tiger’s face. Runner Up within the Mammals class. | Trikansh Sharma

A wild cat stretches and yawns on muddy ground surrounded by mangrove trees and roots, with its back arched and mouth wide open. — In the center of the Sundarbans, the elusive Jungle Cat awakens with a strong yawn — revealing nature’s sharp edge amid the tangled roots and tidal waters of the mangrove wilderness. Highly Commended within the Mammals class. | Tanmoy Das Karmakar

Long-exposure photo of fireflies creating bright, squiggly light trails above dense bushes at night, with circular star trails visible in the sky behind tall trees. — The dance of a colony of fireflies portray trails of sunshine throughout a mangrove apple tree at the hours of darkness as captured by a protracted publicity. The trails gathering round this explicit tree exhibits the fireflies’ affinity for the actual tree, with just a few people venturing away briefly earlier than turning again. Winner of the Other Species class. | Christian Møldrup Legaard

A crab stands on sandy ground, silhouetted against a glowing orange sunset, with one large claw raised and dramatic swirling light in the background. — A male Fiddler Crab performing a sign dance within the mud at sundown. Runner Up within the Other Species class. | Javier Aznar González De Rueda

A mudskipper rests on a mangrove root above shallow water, surrounded by mangrove trees with exposed roots under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Amid the tangle of mangrove roots on Havelock Island within the Andaman archipelago, India, a mudskipper rests between the arching roots of a Rhizophora mangrove tree. Perfectly tailored to an amphibious life, mudskippers use their pectoral fins to “walk” on land, whereas their protruding eyes scan each sky and water for predators. Thriving on the fringe of two worlds, these exceptional fish are synonymous with the mangrove ecosystem. Highly Commended within the Other Species class. | Vydehi Kadur

Two crocodiles float in dark water at night, partially illuminated, with dense green trees behind them and a star-filled sky, including the Milky Way, overhead. — A pair of American Crocodiles sit earlier than The Milky Way Galaxy in a mangrove forest within the Florida Everglades. Highly Commended within the Other Species class and Winner of the Young Photographer competitors. | Nicholas Hess

Threats

A large landfill rises behind a dense, green mangrove forest with some leafless trees and muddy ground in the foreground; a few tiny figures stand on top of the trash heap under a cloudy sky. — Not removed from Bali’s airport and vacationer seashores, I got here throughout this mountain of waste towering behind one of many island’s struggling mangrove forests. Young shoots rise whereas lifeless trunks mark the place others failed. The scene is a quiet warning—of resilience below menace and of what lies simply out of body in paradise. I took this picture to point out the uneasy edge the place mass tourism, city waste, and important ecosystems collide. Winner of the Threats class. | Tom Quinney

Two horseshoe crabs partially buried in muddy ground among mangrove roots and young trees, with tangled vegetation and misty mountains in the background under a cloudy sky. — A poignant reminder of the risks lurking in our coastal ecosystems: a number of horseshoe crabs discover themselves ensnared in a ghost internet that turned caught inside the mangroves, highlighting the pressing want for motion in opposition to marine particles, each within the ocean and on our coastlines. Runner Up within the Threats class. | Daphne Wong

Landscape

A lone person casts a fishing net in the shallow water of a wide, mostly dry riverbed under a cloudy sky, with stretches of sand and sparse vegetation on both sides. The scene is in black and white. — A fisherman is fishing within the river Matla throughout the low tide. Runner Up within the Black & White class. | Rajesh Dhar

A cluster of modern skyscrapers rises above dense morning fog, with lush green mangroves and winding waterways in the foreground under a clear blue sky. — The harmonious mix of mangrove nature with the modernity of town — a charming distinction the place city innovation meets the timeless rhythm of the wild. Winner of the From the Air class. | Ahmed Badwan

Aerial view of a river delta with branching, tree-like orange streams spreading over sandy and golden terrain, bordered by dark green vegetation in the lower corners. — Aerial picture taken from a helicopter of a tannin stained tidal creek and combined mangrove group, NSW north coast. Runner Up within the From the Air class. | Stuart Chape

A night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way stretches above a dark landscape with silhouetted trees and faintly illuminated green foliage. — A surprising view of the Milky Way unfolds above a panorama the place mangrove timber and forests mix in excellent concord. Winner of the On the Ground class. | Gwi Bin Lim

A twisted, gnarled tree frames the sun, which creates a starburst effect at sunset. Shallow water reflects the sky, and a distant smaller tree stands alone on the horizon. The scene is warm and tranquil. — Photo taken on the seashore of Trawangan island, Indonesia, throughout sundown time. Runner Up within the On the Ground class. | Hoang The Nhiem

People

A man stands behind a wooden enclosure, guiding otters with ropes as several otters on the ground eat fish, with a cloudy sky in the background. — The otters get their reward for a busy morning of fishing. Winner of the Livelihoods class. | Freddie Claire

Underwater

A partially submerged mangrove tree with tangled fishing nets above water and small fish swimming among the submerged roots below the waterline. Sunlight filters through the leaves and water. — Half and half scene of mangroves, cardinalfish, and ghost internet, Indonesia. Runner Up within the Underwater class. | Renee Capozzola

A split-view image shows clear blue water with sharks and tropical fish swimming near the sandy bottom, while lush green trees and leaves hang over the shoreline above the surface. — A juvenile blacktip reef shark swims in its mangrove lagoon nursery in Palau. Highly Commended within the Underwater class. | Kiliii Yuyan

Emirates Award

A person on a paddleboard glides across calm water at sunset, surrounded by small clusters of trees and a distant shoreline with vegetation under an orange, hazy sky. — A serene morning kayak journey via the plush mangroves on considered one of Abu Dhabi’s tranquil islands — the place nature whispers in stillness, and daylight dances gently on the water’s floor, making a scene of pure concord. Winner of the Emirates Award. | Ahmed Badwan

A panoramic view of a modern city skyline at sunset, with tall skyscrapers reflected in calm water and dense green mangroves in the foreground under a colorful sky. — An aerial view from Reem Island the place mangrove roots nourish the land, and skyscrapers rise—reflecting a metropolis that breathes with nature. Runner Up for the Emirates Award. | Salem Alsawafi

Mangroves are ecological powerhouses. They sequester as much as 5 occasions extra carbon than terrestrial forests, defend over 15 million individuals from flooding, help the livelihoods of tens of millions of fishers and coastal communities, and supply important habitats for numerous marine and terrestrial species.

Despite these widespread advantages, 50% of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are prone to collapse by 2050, on account of city improvement and deforestation. More information will be discovered on the Mangrove Action Project website.

This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its authentic location you may go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://petapixel.com/2025/07/26/the-winners-of-the-2025-mangrove-photography-awards/
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us