The prestigious Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year The competition revealed striking images that detail the profound environments and behaviors of creatures around the world.
On Tuesday, French underwater photographer and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta was announced as this year’s grand prize winner for his image, titled “The Golden Horseshoe,” which captures a “supernatural image of a three-legged horseshoe crab.” thorns accompanied by a trio”. of golden trevally,” indicates a press release from the competition.
Laurent – who was first named Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2021 – is only the second photographer in the competition’s 59-year history to receive the top title twice.
The “luminescent” photo of an endangered three-spined horseshoe crab – chosen from 49,957 entries from 95 countries – was “amazing” to see, said jury chair and editor-in-chief Kathy Moran .
“Seeing a horseshoe crab so alive in its natural habitat, in such a haunting way, was astonishing,” Moran said. “We are studying an ancient species, highly endangered and also essential to human health.
“The three-spined horseshoe crab has survived for more than 100 million years, but it now faces habitat destruction and overfishing for food and its blue blood, used in vaccine development,” it said. the press release. “But in the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, there is hope for its survival.”
Young wildlife photographer of the year 2023
Seventeen-year-old Carmel Bechler from Israel has been named the 2023 Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his long exposure photo, titled “The Relay of the Owls,” which he took while in hiding in the family car.
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“I hope to share with my photography that the beauty of the natural world is all around us, even in the places we least expect it, we just need to open our eyes and minds,” Carmel said.
American photographer Karine Aigner, who won last year’s grand prize for his image titled “Le grand buzz”, appeared in this year’s competition for her images of an annual hunting competition in Texas.
Discover more winning photographs and admire more of nature.
More: Wildlife Photographer of the Year awarded to woman who captured frenzied ball of cactus bees
The sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will be open to entries from photographers of all ages, nationalities and experience levels on October 16, 2023.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year program is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Wildlife Photographer of the Year: Lauren Ballesta’s underwater image
