“Sinking Sundarbans” by Supratim Bhattacharjee (India). Mangrove Photographer of the Year.
“Supratim Bhattacharjee witnesses a girl, standing before her tea shop, which is completely ruined by sea water in Frazerganj, Sundarbans.
Nestled in the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world – and one of the most vulnerable. Once lauded as nature's custodians, these mangroves now endure relentless threats driven by human development and the climate crisis.”
Mangroves are an essential part of the ecosystem, providing habitat for thousands of species and stabilizing shorelines, yet they are under threat. In fact, less than half of Earth's original mangrove forest cover remains. To raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and the current threat they face, the Mangrove Action Project has organized the Mangrove Photography Awards for the past 10 years.
With a record-breaking 2,500 submissions from 74 countries, this year's contest showcases the beauty and global significance of mangrove ecosystems worldwide. Indian photographer Supratim Bhattacharjee was named Mangrove Photographer of the Year for his portrait of a girl standing before a tea shop ruined by seawater. The haunting image is a visual representation of what can happen when mangroves disappear and take critical soil support along with it.
“An image that raises a thousand questions, whilst connecting you to the girl’s heart. Her vulnerability exposes the full impact of climate change and sea level rise experienced by many coastal communities,” says conservation photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee, one of several expert judges for the competition.
Other winners include a look at local rituals, the intense colors of decomposing mangroves, and wildlife that call them home. These images, spread across seven categories, show the people and animals that rely on mangrove forests, the threats they face, and why urgent action is needed to protect them.
“Stories are how we come to understand, remember, and learn from the world,” says judge and wildlife photojournalist Morgan Heim. “And conservation as a story, is a complicated one. Photography has the ability to help us receive and feel close to those stories no matter our language. Every time I look at this kind of photography, I think, there's still hope.”
Scroll down to see all the winners and second-place finishers, and to see all of the finalists, head over to the 2024 Mangrove Photography Awards gallery.
Here are the winners and finalists of the 2024 Mangrove Photography Awards.
“Nature's Ribbon” by Ammar Alsayed Ahmed (United Arab Emirates). Mangroves & Landscape Winner.
“In nature's embrace, a sinuous water channel meanders gracefully, flanked by a verdant gallery of mangrove trees lining its edges, in Al Dhafra Region, Abu Dhabi.”
“Mud Bath Ritual” by Johannes Panji Christo (Indonesia). Mangroves & People Winner.
“Johannes Panji Christo watches as a local Balinese man is covered in mud during a bathing tradition, locally known as Mebuug Buugan.
Mebuug Buugan was recently revived after a 60-year hiatus. Hosted the day after the annual “Day of Silence Festival”, in which people stay home and self-reflect, the ritual sees people pray for gratitude and earth’s fertility.”
“Mangrove at Night” by Nicholas Alexander Hess (Australia). Young Mangrove Photographer of the Year.
“An in-camera multiple exposure image of elements of the mangrove captured in the dark.”
“Symbiosis” by Giacomo d'Orlando (Indonesia). Mangrove Storytelling Winner.
“In Demak Regency, a combination of human induced activities and the increasing pressure brought by climate change are threatening coastal communities. The coastline has been severely eroded, and mangroves that once protected the coast have been cut down and replaced by aquaculture ponds. As a result, the sea is literally swallowing people’s homes. Despite the difficult living conditions, most of Demak's residents don't want to move because their income potential is tied to their location near the sea. Over time, though, they have realized that the only solution is to restore the ecosystem by replanting the mangroves that had been cut down.”
“Symbiosis” by Giacomo d'Orlando (Indonesia). Mangrove Storytelling Winner.
“Guardians of the Gulf” by Nick Conzone (USA). Mangroves & Underwater Runner Up.
“Nick Conzone captures the moment a Diamondback terrapin emerges from its underground burrow in the Gulf Coast of Florida's mangrove islands.”
“Mangrove Walls Broken” by Dipayan Bose (India). Mangroves & Threats Winner.
“Dipayan Bose frames a villager standing inside his half-submerged home during a flood. Due to repeated tropical cyclones and sea level rise in the Bay of Bengal, river embankments have become broken by high tides in coastal villages across the Sundarbans, West Bengal. As a result, homes and farms have flooded, fisheries have become destroyed by seawater, and people have been forced to migrate, victims of climate change.”
The contest, organized by the Mangrove Action Project, raises awareness about the importance of mangroves and the current threats they face.
“Mud-Ring Feeding” by Mark Ian Cook (USA). Mangroves & Wildlife Winner.
“Restoration scientist and photographer Mark Cook witnesses a bottlenose dolphin grabbing a mullet from the air during ‘mud-ring feeding’.”
“Sian Kaan’s Orange Carpet” by Santiago Gibert Isern (Mexico). Mangroves & Landscape Runner Up.
“Santiago Gibert Isern captures the unique patterns of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Quintana Roo in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
During a series of flights to document the reserve’s conservation status at the beginning of the rainy season, the conservation photographer and storyteller noticed the intense colors below.”
“Nature & Space” by Jeff Thamert (USA). Mangroves & Threats Runner Up.
“Jeff Thamert records a rocket launch above Florida’s mangroves.”
“Guardians of the Mangroves” by Olivier Clement (Bahamas). Mangroves & Underwater Winner.
“Olivier Clement offers a glimpse into the intricate world of mangrove roots in the Bahamas.”
“Satellite-tagged Rewilding Hope” by Upamanyu Chakraborty (India). Mangroves & People Runner Up.
“Upamanyu Chakraborty captures a Northern River terrapin (Batagur baska) before release as part of a conservation breeding program and rewilding in the Sundarbans.”
“Mudskipper in Aurora” by Jayanta Guha (India). Mangroves & Wildlife Runner Up.
“Mudskippers are actually a species of fish found in mangroves and mudflats. Spending most of their time out of the water, they’re adapted to remain on land even after the tide has gone out. They mostly breathe by holding water in their mouth and gill chamber, though staying damp also allows them to breathe through their skin. Their large eyes make them excellent predators while their pectoral fins act as legs, allowing them to crawl over mud and trees along the mangrove floor.”
