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.
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
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 CookIn 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 AlshwaminMoment two Collared Kingfishers struggle close to a mangrove forest fringe. Highly Commended within the Bird class. | Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi.A Pacific Reef Heron hunts a faculty of fish from a mangrove department in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Highly Commended within the Bird class. | Nicholas HessA younger proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove forest. Winner of the Mammals class. | Satwika SatriaSundarbans 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 SharmaIn 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 KarmakarThe 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 LegaardA male Fiddler Crab performing a sign dance within the mud at sundown. Runner Up within the Other Species class. | Javier Aznar González De RuedaAmid 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 KadurA 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
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 QuinneyA 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 solitary mangrove tree curves gracefully above a easy, glass-like sea—captured in lengthy publicity, evoking a ultimate, quiet gesture of endurance. Winner of the Black & White class. | Vladimir BorzykinA fisherman is fishing within the river Matla throughout the low tide. Runner Up within the Black & White class. | Rajesh DharThe 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 BadwanAerial 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 ChapeA 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 LimPhoto taken on the seashore of Trawangan island, Indonesia, throughout sundown time. Runner Up within the On the Ground class. | Hoang The Nhiem
People
The otters get their reward for a busy morning of fishing. Winner of the Livelihoods class. | Freddie ClaireBakhawan Eco-Park in Kalibo, Aklan is a strong story of nature’s revival and group resilience. Once a polluted shoreline, it has remodeled right into a thriving 220-hectare mangrove forest—defending in opposition to local weather threats and sustaining native livelihoods. This award-winning eco-park now stands as a logo of hope, the place households like the daddy and son on this picture benefit from the bounty of restored ecosystems. Runner Up within the Livelihoods class. | Danilo O. Victoriano Jr.
Underwater
While Clibanarius taeniatus is considered one of Australia’s extra frequent hermit crab species, little or no is thought about it and I’m unsure it even has a typical title. Winner of the Underwater class. | Alex PikeHalf and half scene of mangroves, cardinalfish, and ghost internet, Indonesia. Runner Up within the Underwater class. | Renee CapozzolaA juvenile blacktip reef shark swims in its mangrove lagoon nursery in Palau. Highly Commended within the Underwater class. | Kiliii Yuyan
Emirates Award
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 BadwanAn 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.