Winners of the Mangrove Photography Awards 2024 (26 photos)

Now in its 10th year, the Mangrove Photography Prize celebrates the vital role mangroves play for so many species, including humanity. “Year after year, creative people continue to inspire us with stunning images that help raise awareness of the people and wildlife that depend on mangroves, the threats to these ecosystems, and why urgent action is needed to protect them,” say the organisers.





1. "Drowning Sundarbans", Supratim Bhattacharjee, India



Overall winner of the competition.

A girl stands in front of her tea shop, destroyed by floods in the Sundarbans, India.

2. "Ritual", Johannes Panji Kristo, Indonesia

Winner in the Mangrove and People category.

A Bali resident during a ritual known as Mebuug Buugan. Men, women and children, dressed in sarongs and traditional headdresses, collect mud from a mangrove forest in the village of Kedonganan and perform a purification ceremony.

3. "Symbiosis" by Giacomo D'Orlando, Indonesia



Winner in the Mangrove and Conservation category.

In Demak Regency, human activity and climate change pose serious threats to coastal communities. The coastline has been severely eroded, and the mangroves that once protected the coast have been cut down and turned into aquaculture ponds. As a result, the sea is literally swallowing up people's homes.

4. "Muddy Strategy", Mark Ian Cook, USA



Winner in the category "Mangrove Forests and Wildlife".

Bottlenose dolphins surround their prey with a wall of mud. The frightened fish, trying to get out of the trap, jumps into the mouth itself.

5. "Mangroves at Night" by Nicholas Alexander Hess, Australia



Winner of the Young Photographer of the Year award.

"Armed with only a macro lens, I spotted a young crocodile at low tide. To capture not only the crocodile's eye but also the details of the surrounding scene, I used multiple exposure mode."

6. "Guardians of the Mangroves", Olivier Clement, Bahamas



Winner in the category "Mangroves and Underwater Life".

Olivier Clement offers a glimpse into the intricate world of mangrove roots in the Bahamas.

7. "Mangrove Walls Broken", Dipayan Bose, India



Winner in the Mangrove and Threats category.

Tropical cyclones and rising sea levels in the Bay of Bengal have flooded the coastal homes and farms of the Sundarbans, and destroyed fisheries. People are forced to migrate, becoming victims of climate change.

8. "Nature Ribbon", Ammar Alsayed Ahmed, United Arab Emirates



Winner in the category "Mangrove Forests and Landscape".

A water channel embraced by nature, Al Dhafra region, Abu Dhabi.

9. "Guardians of the Gulf", Nick Conzon, USA



Second place in the category "Mangroves and underwater life".

A diamondback turtle crawls out of its hiding place in the Florida mangroves.

10. Together, Raj Hassanali, Madagascar



Second place in the Mangrove and Conservation category.

Raj Hassanali captures forest restoration efforts in Majunga, Madagascar.

11. "Nature and Space", Jeff Tamert, USA



Second place in the category "Mangroves and Threats".

A SpaceX rocket launches over the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

12. "The Future of Mangroves at Risk", Teja Yantrapalli, India



Second place in the category "Young Photographer of the Year".

Large-scale destruction of mangrove forests in India.

13. "Satellite-tagged turtle", Upamanyu Chakraborty, India



Second place in the category "Mangroves and People".

A rare batagur turtle has been released into the wild with a satellite tag on its shell to help find out why its numbers are declining rapidly.

The estuaries of the Sundarbans are the only habitat for the terrapin. The species is on the brink of extinction due to ongoing poaching for meat and eggs.

14. "The Orange Carpet of Sian Ka'an", Santiago Gibert Isern, Mexico



Second place in the category "Mangrove Forests and Landscape".

Unique patterns of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Quintana Roo state on the Yucatan Peninsula.

15. "Mudskipper at Dawn", Jayanta Guha, India



Second place in the category "Mangroves and Wildlife".

16. "Kakaban Island Mangrove Forest", Purwanto Nugroho, Indonesia



Highly commended in the category "Mangrove Forests and Underwater Life".

Mangrove forests act as a natural filter, their soil and biomass have a high capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, which helps reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air. And the roots of the trees prevent soil erosion and coastal erosion.

17. "Sweet Dreams" by Sebastian Calle, Colombia



Highly commended in the Mangrove & Wildlife category.

The Silky Anteater (Cyclops dorsalis) is a recently discovered species that is difficult to find due to its small size and low population. Deforestation is a major threat to these animals.

18. "Reflection" by Shane Gross, Mexico



Highly commended in the Mangrove and Underwater Life category.

Central American crocodiles live in freshwater areas of Mexico, Brazil, and Guatemala.

"I was snorkeling in a beautiful mangrove lagoon when I saw a crocodile. He had come down from his favorite rock where he usually sunbaths."

19. "Jungle Cat", Erfan Samanfar, Iran



Highly commended in the category "Mangrove Forests and Wildlife".

A jungle cat hunting in a mangrove forest, Bandar Abbas, Iran.

20. "David vs. Goliath", Abhishek Das, India



Highly commended in the Mangrove and Wildlife category.

Abhishek Das captured a mudskipper on the tail of a crocodile.

21. "In Search of Drinking Water" by Dipayan Bose, India



Highly commended in the category "Mangroves and Threats".

A woman with a jug of drinking water during a flood, Sundarbans, West Bengal, India.

22. "Sinking Sundarbans II", Supratim Bhattacharjee, India



Highly commended in the category "Mangroves and People".

Women watch helplessly as waves wash away their homes.

23. "A Magnificent Symphony of Mangroves", Ammar Alsayed Ahmed, United Arab Emirates



Highly commended in the category "Mangrove Forests and Landscape".

A panoramic view of the coast in Abu Dhabi.

24. "Sawfish at Sunrise", Grace Pempek, USA



Highly commended in the category "Mangroves and Underwater Life".

A sawfish in the shallow waters of the Florida Keys. The species is critically endangered, its habitat has been reduced by 90%.

25. "Honey Mining", Upamanju Chakraborty, India



Highly commended in the category "Mangroves and People".

With the onset of summer, Operation Golden Honey begins in the heart of the Sundarbans. The brave beekeepers are after rare mangrove honey, renowned for its unique taste and medicinal properties. Wearing masks over their heads to protect themselves from tiger attacks, they spend two weeks living on boats, navigating narrow canals. The honey they collect is sold through the Forest Department.

Long-term practice ensures careful harvesting, does not deplete the bee population and does not harm the environment, allowing the forest to flourish.