The Winners of the 2025 Mangrove Images Awards

A split image: on the left, a flock of pink birds flies over green water; on the right, two blue-gray birds with open wings and beaks face each other on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. — Picture credit: Mark Ian Cook dinner (left) and Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi (proper).

The winners of the 2025 Mangrove Images Awards were introduced, highlighting those distinctive and fragile ecosystems.

These days is International Mangrove Day, and the Mangrove Motion Mission is marking it with this incredible festival, which has been gained via Mark Ian Cook dinner along with his picture, ‘Birds Eye View of the Hunt.’

To start with look, the scene of Roseate Spoonbills gliding over a lemon shark searching mullet within the mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay can provide the semblance of a relaxed and balanced
habitat. However Cook dinner’s aerial shot paperwork what might be the closing of the Everglades’ iconic birds, whose very well being and survival are intrinsically connected with the well being of the Everglades.

Aerial view of a flock of pink birds flying over greenish water, with a large dark fish or shark swimming below the surface to the right of the birds. — A flock of Roseate Spoonbills go with the flow over a lemon shark searching mullet within the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay. General winner. | Mark Ian Cook dinner

“Traditionally, Florida Bay used to be the main nesting area of the Roseate Spoonbill in the United States, however this species is turning into increasingly more uncommon there as sea stage upward push negatively affects their vital mangrove foraging habitat,” Cook dinner says.

“Spoonbills are tactile foragers, which means they feed via contact. Alternatively, for this foraging means to achieve success, the birds want moderately shallow water with very top densities of fish. This turns into specifically important all through the vigorous bottleneck of the nesting season.”

Natural world

Aerial view of black animals, likely wildebeest, moving in a line across a textured, yellow and white landscape, creating winding trails behind them. — 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 Cook dinner

Three flamingos stand in shallow water with their reflections visible, two of them with heads down drinking, set against a blurred green background of foliage. — Within the Jazan area, mangrove bushes are necessary coastal habitats that offer a wealthy meals atmosphere for migratory flamingos. Those birds feed on algae and small invertebrates like crustaceans and plankton within the shallow waters. The mangroves be offering a protected shelter, shielding them from disturbances and predators—making them a really perfect leisure prevent all through migration and a key contributor to biodiversity alongside Saudi Arabia’s coastlines. Runner Up within the Birds class. | Ibrahim Alshwamin

Two birds with blue and white feathers face each other on a tree branch, wings spread wide, surrounded by dense green leaves, appearing to interact or communicate. — Second two Collared Kingfishers combat close to a mangrove wooded area fringe. Extremely Recommended within the Hen class. | Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi.

A split-level photo shows a bird standing on a branch over clear water, with a school of small fish swimming below and lush green trees and blue sky in the background. — A Pacific Reef Heron hunts a college of fish from a mangrove department in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Extremely Recommended within the Hen class. | Nicholas Hess

A young proboscis monkey with reddish-brown fur is perched on tree branches surrounded by green leaves in a dense forest, looking curiously toward the camera. — A tender proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove wooded area. Winner of the Mammals class. | Satwika Satria

Three Bengal tigers stand close together, partially hidden among dense green bushes and tall plants, blending into the lush jungle background. — Sundarbans is a difficult position as a result of Tiger territories stay submerging into water each six hours in keeping with the moon cycle. Whilst there’s a fable amongst those who Tigers don’t do smell/territory markings right here as a result of they lose the mark in water in no time, I used to be fortunate to {photograph} this uncommon conduct in mangroves. The humorous phase used to be that all the urine went at the subadult Tiger’s face. Runner Up within the Mammals class. | Trikansh Sharma

A wild cat stretches and yawns on muddy ground surrounded by mangrove trees and roots, with its back arched and mouth wide open. — Within the center of the Sundarbans, the elusive Jungle Cat awakens with an impressive yawn — revealing nature’s sharp edge amid the tangled roots and tidal waters of the mangrove wasteland. Extremely Recommended within the Mammals class. | Tanmoy Das Karmakar

Long-exposure photo of fireflies creating bright, squiggly light trails above dense bushes at night, with circular star trails visible in the sky behind tall trees. — The dance of a colony of fireflies portray trails of sunshine throughout a mangrove apple tree at midnight as captured via a protracted publicity. The paths amassing round this actual tree presentations the fireflies’ affinity for the specific tree, with just a few folks venturing away in brief earlier than turning again. Winner of the Different Species class. | Christian Møldrup Legaard

A crab stands on sandy ground, silhouetted against a glowing orange sunset, with one large claw raised and dramatic swirling light in the background. — A male Fiddler Crab appearing a sign dance within the dust at sundown. Runner Up within the Different Species class. | Javier Aznar González De Rueda

A mudskipper rests on a mangrove root above shallow water, surrounded by mangrove trees with exposed roots under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Amid 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. Completely tailored to an amphibious lifestyles, mudskippers use their pectoral fins to “stroll” on land, whilst their sticking out eyes scan each sky and water for predators. Thriving on the edge of 2 worlds, those outstanding fish are synonymous with the mangrove ecosystem. Extremely Recommended within the Different Species class. | Vydehi Kadur

Two crocodiles float in dark water at night, partially illuminated, with dense green trees behind them and a star-filled sky, including the Milky Way, overhead. — A couple of American Crocodiles take a seat earlier than The Milky Means Galaxy in a mangrove wooded area within the Florida Everglades. Extremely Recommended within the Different Species class and Winner of the Younger Photographer festival. | Nicholas Hess

Threats

A large landfill rises behind a dense, green mangrove forest with some leafless trees and muddy ground in the foreground; a few tiny figures stand on top of the trash heap under a cloudy sky. — Now not a long way from Bali’s airport and vacationer seashores, I got here throughout this mountain of waste towering at the back of one of the crucial island’s suffering mangrove forests. Younger shoots upward push whilst lifeless trunks mark the place others failed. The scene is a quiet caution—of resilience below risk and of what lies simply out of body in paradise. I took this picture to turn the uneasy edge the place mass tourism, city waste, and necessary ecosystems collide. Winner of the Threats class. | Tom Quinney

Two horseshoe crabs partially buried in muddy ground among mangrove roots and young trees, with tangled vegetation and misty mountains in the background under a cloudy sky. — A poignant reminder of the hazards lurking in our coastal ecosystems: more than one horseshoe crabs in finding themselves ensnared in a ghost internet that changed into caught throughout the mangroves, highlighting the pressing want for motion towards marine particles, each within the ocean and on our coastlines. Runner Up within the Threats class. | Daphne Wong

Panorama

A solitary tree with exposed roots stands in calm, shallow water under a cloudy sky, surrounded by mist and minimal landscape, creating a serene, monochromatic scene. — A solitary mangrove tree curves gracefully above a easy, glass-like sea—captured in lengthy publicity, evoking a last, quiet gesture of staying power. Winner of the Black & White class. | Vladimir Borzykin

A lone person casts a fishing net in the shallow water of a wide, mostly dry riverbed under a cloudy sky, with stretches of sand and sparse vegetation on both sides. The scene is in black and white. — A fisherman is fishing within the river Matla all through the low tide. Runner Up within the Black & White class. | Rajesh Dhar

A cluster of modern skyscrapers rises above dense morning fog, with lush green mangroves and winding waterways in the foreground under a clear blue sky. — The harmonious mix of mangrove nature with the modernity of the town — an enchanting distinction the place city innovation meets the undying rhythm of the wild. Winner of the From the Air class. | Ahmed Badwan

Aerial view of a river delta with branching, tree-like orange streams spreading over sandy and golden terrain, bordered by dark green vegetation in the lower corners. — Aerial symbol taken from a helicopter of a tannin stained tidal creek and blended mangrove group, NSW north coast. Runner Up within the From the Air class. | Stuart Chape

A night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way stretches above a dark landscape with silhouetted trees and faintly illuminated green foliage. — A shocking view of the Milky Means unfolds above a panorama the place mangrove bushes and forests mix in highest solidarity. Winner of the At the Floor class. | Gwi Bin Lim

A twisted, gnarled tree frames the sun, which creates a starburst effect at sunset. Shallow water reflects the sky, and a distant smaller tree stands alone on the horizon. The scene is warm and tranquil. — Picture taken on the seaside of Trawangan island, Indonesia, all through sundown time. Runner Up within the At the Floor class. | Hoang The Nhiem

Folks

A man stands behind a wooden enclosure, guiding otters with ropes as several otters on the ground eat fish, with a cloudy sky in the background. — The otters get their praise for a hectic morning of fishing. Winner of the Livelihoods class. | Freddie Claire

Two people navigate a narrow, tree-lined waterway at dusk; one rows a small wooden boat with a lantern while the other wades beside it, surrounded by dense mangrove trees. — Bakhawan Eco-Park in Kalibo, Aklan is an impressive tale of nature’s revival and group resilience. As soon as a polluted coastline, it has remodeled right into a thriving 220-hectare mangrove wooded area—protective towards local weather threats and maintaining 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

A partially submerged mangrove tree with tangled fishing nets above water and small fish swimming among the submerged roots below the waterline. Sunlight filters through the leaves and water. — Part and part scene of mangroves, cardinalfish, and ghost internet, Indonesia. Runner Up within the Underwater class. | Renee Capozzola

A split-view image shows clear blue water with sharks and tropical fish swimming near the sandy bottom, while lush green trees and leaves hang over the shoreline above the surface. — A juvenile blacktip reef shark swims in its mangrove lagoon nursery in Palau. Extremely Recommended within the Underwater class. | Kiliii Yuyan

Emirates Award

A person on a paddleboard glides across calm water at sunset, surrounded by small clusters of trees and a distant shoreline with vegetation under an orange, hazy sky. — A serene morning kayak adventure in the course of the lush mangroves on certainly one of Abu Dhabi’s tranquil islands — the place nature whispers in stillness, and daylight dances gently at the water’s floor, making a scene of natural solidarity. Winner of the Emirates Award. | Ahmed Badwan

A panoramic view of a modern city skyline at sunset, with tall skyscrapers reflected in calm water and dense green mangroves in the foreground under a colorful sky. — An aerial view from Reem Island the place mangrove roots nourish the land, and skyscrapers upward push—reflecting a town 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, give protection to over 15 million other people from flooding, enhance the livelihoods of tens of millions of fishers and coastal communities, and supply necessary habitats for numerous marine and terrestrial species.

Regardless of those standard advantages, 50% of the arena’s mangrove ecosystems are liable to cave in via 2050, because of city building and deforestation. Extra data may also be discovered at the Mangrove Motion Mission site.