A Bengal tiger stares out from a mangrove in India. Overall winner of the Mangrove Photography Awards 2023. | Soham Bhattacharyya.
A photo of one of the very few tigers in the world that has adapted to a mangrove habitat has won the 2023 Mangrove Photography Awards.
The majestic big cat was captured in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, India by Soham Bhattacharyya.
It is estimated that there are only 200 of these magnificent animals in the Sundarbans mangrove forest with only 96 thought to be in the West Bengal Forest where the photo was taken.
Shallow waters reveal mangrove roots in Brazil. Winner of the Mangroves and Landscape category | Cristiano Martins Xavier
In the mangrove forest of Colombia’s Utría National Park, a Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) is nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding branches while it perches motionless on its nest. Winner of the Mangroves and Wildlife category | Chien Lee
A juvenile lemon shark swims in shallow mangrove forests in the Bahamas. Winner in the Mangroves and Underwater category | Anita Kainrath
Nurse sharks court each other in knee-deep water in the Bahamas. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Landscape category | Shane Gross
Lights from the city, the Milky Way, and the Lyrid meteor shower emanate in alignment from the mangrove trees during darkness and low tide in the Philippines. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Landscape category | Aaron Ruy G. Musa
The mangrove forest in Ras Al Khor, UAE serves as a crucial stopover and wintering ground for thousands of migrating flamingos. These elegant birds migrate to the sanctuary in large numbers during the winter months, seeking refuge from colder climates. Ras Al Khor provides them with an abundant source of food, including the shrimp and small fish found in its brackish waters. The sight of these graceful birds against the backdrop of Dubai’s modern skyline is a stunning juxtaposition of nature and urbanity. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Wildlife category | Shyjith Onden
A former mangrove choked with plastic waste in Manila Bay, Philippines. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Threats category | James Whitlow Delano
Unique conditions in temperature, minerals, and algae turn this lagoon in Colombia pink. Photographer Felipe Santander spent four days and 15 drone batteries to capture the perfect shot, complete with the formation of birds flying over the pink lake. The salinity of the seawater combined with rising temperatures makes for an ideal situation where the microscopic pink algae can thrive. Runner up in the Mangroves and Landscape category | Felipe Santande
A land hermit crab wanders around at night, close to the beach of Pom Pom island, Sabah, using a plastic deodorant plug instead of a shell. Winner of the Mangroves and Threats category | Emanuele Biggi
Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in coastal intertidal zones. The trees grow in areas with low-oxygen soil, where slow-moving waters allow fine sediments to accumulate. Mangrove forests only grow in tropical zones.
In the Gulf of Ana María, this mangrove-dwelling American saltwater crocodile was spotted with its mouth tangled in nylon rope. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Threats category | Yordanis Méndez
Lemon shark pups hide in the mangroves at high tide, Bahamas. Highly commended in the Mangroves and Underwater category | Shane Gross
This stunning set of pictures from the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal won the Mangroves and People category | Mohammad Rakibul Hasan.
The Sundarbans, which means “beautiful forest”, is one of the most vulnerable areas in the country to the impacts of climate change. It is one of the wildest places left on Earth: a biodiversity hotspot and a complex tidal network of waterways and islands that is only accessible by boat. It is a delicate ecosystem that is under pressure from human development and the climate crisis, which is threatening the ecology of the Sundarbans. | Mohammad Rakibul Hasan.
Sea level rise is one of the most significant threats to the Sundarbans forest. | Mohammad Rakibul Hasan.
The impacts of climate change on the Sundarbans forest are impacting the lives of people in the surrounding areas. The forest is a significant source of livelihood for many people in the region, who rely on it for fishing, agriculture, and other activities. As the forest is damaged by sea level rise and extreme weather events, these people will also be affected by food and water insecurity and the loss of their homes and livelihoods. | Mohammad Rakibul Hasan.
The Mangrove Photography Awards is organized by the Mangrove Action Project who says that less than half of half the world’s original mangrove forest cover remains.
“Photographs of mangroves and contests related to them play a multifaceted role in advocating for the conservation and protection of these critical coastal forests,” says one of the judges Fulvio Eccardi.
“They raise awareness, educate, inspire action, and contribute to the scientific understanding of these ecosystems, all of which are vital for their long-term survival and the well-being of coastal communities around the world.”