Overall Winner: Birds’ Eye View Of The Hunt By Mark Ian Cook
A flock of Roseate Spoonbills glide over a lemon shark hunting mullet in the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay.
Wildlife, Other Species, Runner-Up: Claws Of Power By Javier Aznar González De Rueda
A male Fiddler Crab (Uca sp.) performing a signal dance in the mud at sunset.
Underwater, Highly Commended: Sunset Snack By Valentina Cucchiara
A gentle manatee grazes peacefully underwater, nestled beneath the tangled roots of a mangrove forest.
Underwater, Highly Commended: Guardian Of The Underworld By Rodolphe Guignard
In Mayan culture, the crocodile is a sacred creature. It links earth, air and water. It is linked not only to nature, but also to the underworld, the place where souls wander. For the Mayans of Yucatan, cenotes are doorways to the underworld. And in mythology, the crocodile floated on the edge between the world of the living and that of the dead. This image of the crocodile, floating on the surface of this cenote, perfectly illustrates this sacred legend.
Wildlife, Other Species, Highly Commended: Crocodile Galaxy By Nicholas Hess
A pair of American Crocodiles sit before the Milky Way Galaxy in a mangrove forest in the Florida Everglades. “This image is one I’ve hoped to capture for the past 4 years living in Florida. Never whilst visiting this site did I get the chance before. But this day the stars literally aligned. At 2 AM, the Milky Way rose behind not one, but two crocodiles conducting some courting behavior. Seeing my opportunity I set up my tripod to utilize a long exposure to capture the Milky Way in my image. I then used a flash to freeze the crocodile’s subtle movement. After perfecting my settings, I shot a few images as the female appeared to circle the male and below. This one turned out to be my favorite.”
Wildlife, Other Species, Highly Commended: The Watcher And The Wanderer By Ramprasad Dutta
When giants and minnows coexist.
“In the Sundarbans, a massive crocodile rests near a tiny mudskipper. Despite the size difference, the fish shows no fear. Their contrasting colors create a rare, captivating moment in the wild.”
Wildlife, Mammals, Highly Commended: Mother's Protection By Satyaki Naha
Wildlife, Mammals, Highly Commended: Flower Of Mangrove By Kaushik Ghosh
From The Air, Runner-Up: Dendritic By Stuart Chape
Aerial image taken from a helicopter of a tannin stained tidal creek and mixed mangrove community, NSW north coast.
From The Air, Highly Commended: Guardians Of The Shoreline By Jeff Thamert
Mangroves in the mist.
“As Dawn breaks over Florida's east coast, golden rays pierce the early morning mist, revealing the intricate beauty of the Indian River Lagoon below. Captured by drone, this aerial view showcases a delicate estuarine ecosystem protected by winding shorelines of resilient mangrove trees-nature's guardians that shelter a vast diversity of wildlife, In the distance, the Kennedy Space Center reminds us that just beyond this peaceful refuge, humanity reaches for the stars. This image celebrates the harmony between natural wonder and scientific ambition, both grounded in the same fragile world.”
Conservation And Restoration, Highly Commended: Protecting The Protectors By Jason Florio
As part of FAO’s FISH4ACP program, the Gambian Navy teaches oyster harvesters to swim—giving women lifesaving skills and reducing drowning risks in the mangroves. Most had never learned to swim. These women play a vital role in protecting mangroves from illegal deforestation, safeguarding ecosystems that store up to 10 times more carbon than terrestrial forests and are crucial in fighting climate change.
Conservation And Restoration, Highly Commended: Cleaning Up The Coast By Gerdie Hutomo
In Jakarta, Indonesia, a huge amount of rubbish, particularly plastic waste, is ending up in mangrove areas.
“A worker is cleaning the never ending rubbish in a mangrove restoration plot.”
Livelihoods, Highly Commended: Home By Valentin Giebel
Pak Umar in the mangroves that protect his home.
“I had the privilege to meet Pak Umar a few months ago. A proud Bajau man who understands the importance of the mangroves for his home and fights for their preservation. The mangroves themselves are an extension of his personality and rich heritage.”
Underwater, Winner: Low Tide On Hermit Crab Island By Alex Pike
While Clibanarius taeniatus is one of Australia's more common hermit crab species, very little is known about it and I'm not sure it even has a common name.
Wildlife, Mammals, Runner-Up: Scent Marking Went Wrong By Trikansh Sharma
Sundarbans is a challenging place because Tiger territories keep submerging into water every six hours according to the moon cycle. While there is a myth among people that Tigers do not do scent/territory markings here because they lose the mark in water very quickly, I was lucky to photograph this rare behavior in mangroves. Only funny part was, the entire urine went on the subadult Tiger’s face.
Threats, Highly Commended: Cracked Earth By Muhammad Amdad Hossain
A determined woman and her grandson collect water from the last remnants of a drought-stricken landscape in Shyamnagar, Khulna. Despite living near a river, they walk 2–3 km daily to find drinkable water due to salinity intrusion, a result of rising sea levels and reduced rainfall affecting the coastal mangrove community.
People Livelihoods, Winner: Bhoben Biseash And His Otters By Freddie Claire
The otters get their reward for a busy morning of fishing.
Young Mangrove Photographer Of The Year, Highly Commended: Mud Serpent By Nitiroj Boonsai
Dog-faced watersnake (Cerberus schneiderii) finding prey when the tide gets low.
Wildlife, Mammals, Winner: A Snack In The Mangrove Forest By Satwika Satria
A young proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove forest. “This juvenile proboscis monkey is seen savoring an Avicennia fruit it found. The avicennia fruit is one of the primary food sources for proboscis monkeys. This image highlights the vital role of mangrove ecosystems in supporting the survival of this endangered species.”
Wildlife, Other Species, Highly Commended: Until The Night Falls By Mark Whiten
In the stillness of the Malaysian mangroves, a reticulated python lies motionless in the crook of a tree branch. Hidden in plain sight beneath glossy green leaves, it waits out the heat of the day, conserving energy for the cover of night—when the forest awakens and the hunt begins.
Threats, Runner-Up: Trapped In Shadows By Daphne Wong
A poignant reminder of the dangers lurking in our coastal ecosystems: multiple horseshoe crabs find themselves ensnared in a ghost net that became stuck within the mangroves, highlighting the urgent need for action against marine debris, both in the ocean and on our coastlines.
Threats, Highly Commended: Prawn Aquaculture By Stuart Chape
As in other parts of the world, mangrove ecosystems in Australia are sometimes converted to aquaculture production.
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Oooh, fighting climate change.
Eat a bag of diques.