1 of 7 A true Alaskan Moon Jellyfish bloom, with a male purple jellyfish chasing a mateready female jellyfish after changing color from purple to pink Photo: Mayumi TakeuchiEbbins A true Alaskan Moon Jellyfish bloom, with A male purple jellyfish chases a mateready female jellyfish after it changes color from purple to pink Photo: Mayumi TakeuchiEbbins
It’s the time of year when the world takes a moment to celebrate its oceans and reflect on how best to protect them.
To mark World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8th, the United Nations (UN) announced the winners of its annual tenyear photography competition, organized in partnership with Oceanic Global.
The following images took first place in each of the six award categories.
They were selected from thousands of photos from around the world submitted by amateur and professional photographers for this year’s theme, Planet Ocean: The Changing Tides.
2 of 7 This photo of a humpback whale in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California, Mexico won first prize in the No Time To Waste category Photo: ÁLVARO HERRERO This photo of a humpback whale in the Pacific Ocean off Baja California, Mexico won first prize in the “No time to lose” category Photo: ÁLVARO HERRERO
Spanish photographer Alvaro Herrero won the No Time to Waste category.
A humpback whale with a buoy attached to its tail is already decomposing and dying slowly and painfully. A clear reflection of the slow and painful death we are inflicting on our oceans and planet.
3 of 7 A hawksbill turtle inspects a coral nursery in the Gulf of Aqaba (or Eilat) in the northern Red Sea Photo: TOM SHLESINGER A hawksbill turtle inspects a coral nursery in coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba (or Eilat). the northern Red Sea Photo: TOM SHLESINGER
This photo of a hawksbill turtle visiting a coral hatchery near the Red Sea by Tom Shlesinger is the winner of the Putting the Ocean First category.
This species is among the smallest sea turtles and their diet is diverse, ranging from sponges and soft corals to jellyfish, crustaceans and more.
In this photo, the hawksbill sea turtle examines a coral burrow known as an “igloo.”
4 of 7 The winning image in the “Wonderful World of Tides” category Photo: CHRIS GUG The winning image in the category “Wonderful World of Tides” Photo: CHRIS GUG
Winner of The Wonderful World of Tides category, this photo by photographer Chris Gug shows the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“When I was exploring the ocean off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with my drone for a school of Mobula rays, I encountered the most beautiful powerful surf day in and day out, with huge waves crashing right onto the sand,” says Chris Gug.
5 of 7 Mother and son picking sea urchins in a seagrass field Photo: SHANE GROSS Mother and son picking sea urchins in a seagrass field Photo: SHANE GROSS
This photo by Shane Gross of a mother collecting sea urchins with her son for her family in Bali, Indonesia, is the winner in the Ocean is Life category.
Seagrass beds are an often overlooked coastal habitat important for food security, biodiversity, storm protection and fisheries.
6 of 7 This sea lion’s photo was the winner in the Underwater Big and Small Faces category Photo: GLENN OSTLE This sea lion’s photo was the winner in the Underwater Big and Small Faces category Photo : GLENN OSTLE
This image from the Mexican Sea of Cortez, featuring a sea lion photographed by Glenn Ostle in front of a school of fish, is the winner of the Big and Small Underwater Faces category.
The Narrow Sea of Cortez is one of the most biologically diverse bodies of water on earth. Home to over 900 species of fish, thousands of invertebrates and a wide variety of marine life.
7 of 7 In Norway, a female killer whale splits a school of herring while diving to catch one Photo: ANDY SCHMID In Norway, a female killer whale splits a school of herring while diving to catch one Photo: ANDY SCHMID
Photographer Andy Schmid is the winner in the Underwater Seascapes category.
“Watching killer whales eating herring with the socalled carousel feeding technique is very exciting, but not easy to catch for several reasons: limited light and visibility, fast action, cool surface and water temperature,” explains Schmid.
All photos are subject to copyright.