14 beautiful wildlife images from the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards

14 beautiful wildlife images from the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards

Posted on By rehan.rafique No Comments on 14 beautiful wildlife images from the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards

Mangroves provide a rest stop for migratory flamingos in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. As the vibrant birds snack on algae and small invertebrates, the still and shallow waters create a mirror effect. Photographer Ibrahim Alshwamin captured the serene moment (seen above) and took home runner-up honors in the Birds category of the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards.

Now in its 11th year, the competition puts a spotlight on vital and fragile mangrove ecosystems around the world. This year’s edition saw more than 3,000 entries from 78 countries. Mark Ian Cook earned the prestigious title of Mangrove Photographer of the Year 2025 for his striking aerial image (seen below) of Roseate Spoonbills soaring over the Florida Bay as a lemon shark swims by.

A flock of Roseate Spoonbills glide over a lemon shark hunting mullet in the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay.   
“Birds’ eye view of the hunt “
Overall Winner
Historically, Florida Bay was the primary nestling region of the Roseate Spoonbill in the US, but this species is becoming increasingly rare there as sea level rise negatively impacts their important mangrove foraging habitat. This species feeds on small, estuarine fish which it captures with its odd, spoon-shaped bill. Spoonbills are tactile foragers, meaning they feed by touch. As they forage, they sweep their bill from side to side in the water holding it slightly open so it creates a negative pressure that effectively sucks any small fish it encounters into the bill. However, for this foraging method to be successful the birds need relatively shallow water with very high densities of fish. This becomes particularly critical during the energetic bottleneck of the nesting season when the birds need to feed not only themselves but also 2 or 3 rapidly growing nestlings. High densities of fish are produced in the dry season when water levels decline, the area coverage of water in the mangroves shrinks, and fish become concentrated in increasingly smaller and shallower pools. Once a threshold depth of about 13 cm is reached the spoonbills can feed effectively and start nesting. However, with climate-change induced sea-level rise, these critical lower water depths in the mangroves are increasingly failing to be met, fish densities are insufficient for effective foraging, and fewer birds are able to breed.
Credit: Mark Ian Cook / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 

“This is an extraordinary perspective showing just how dynamic mangroves can be,” judge Tanya Houppermans said of the photograph. “What makes the photo especially impressive is that while there is a lot of action taking place with the flight of the spoonbills and the predation by the lemon shark, the brilliant multi-layered composition allows the viewer to take it all in without being overwhelmed. Really an exceptional image!”

Visit the Mangrove Action Project to learn more about how healthy mangroves sustain wildlife.

Caption: 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.
“Guardian of the Underworld”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Underwater
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.
Credit: Rodolphe Guignard, @rodolpheguignard / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
three tigers stand amongst mangroves
“Scent marking went wrong”
RUNNER-UP, Wildlife, Mammals
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 in 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.
Credit: Trikansh Sharma, @trikansh_sharma / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Description: This photo took at the mangrove along the coastline of Samut Prakarn, Thailand 
“Mosquito are dangerous than a tiger”
RUNNER UP, Young Photographer
“Mosquito are dangerous than a tiger” is a Thai proverb. This saying seem to hold true, especially in mangrove forest where mosquitoes are abundant. Almost every creature appears to fall victim to them even mudskipper and me.
Credit: Katanyou Wuttichaitanakorn, @akatanyou / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Caption: A young proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove forest.
“A Snack in the Mangrove Forest “
WINNER, Wildlife, Mammals
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.
Credit: Satwika Satria, @ian_satwika / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR  Satwika Satria
Caption: In the heart of the Sundarbans, the elusive Jungle Cat awakens with a powerful yawn — revealing nature’s sharp edge amid the tangled roots and tidal waters of the mangrove wilderness.
“The Silent Sentinel of the Mangroves”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Wildlife, Mammals
In 2021, during a boat safari in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, our quest for the elusive swamp tiger went unanswered. As we turned back, a sleeping Jungle Cat emerged from the mangrove shadows. I captured its slow awakening — a deep stretch and a powerful yawn exposing sharp teeth — before it vanished into the dense tidal forest. This fleeting moment perfectly reflects the Sundarbans’ mysterious spirit and the wild rewards of patient observation.
Credit: Tanmoy Das Karmakar, @tanmoy_wildlife / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
 Tanmoy Das Karmakar
Caption: A stunning view of the Milky Way unfolds above a landscape where mangrove trees and forests blend in perfect harmony.
“Mangrove Under the Milky Way”
WINNER, Landscape, On the Ground
This is Walakiri Beach. Not long after sunset, a breathtaking view of the Milky Way unfolded overhead. It’s pristine where you can experience the spectacular night sky in all its glory.
Credit: Gwi Bin Lim, @gwibinlim / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
 LIM GWI BIM 010-2386-7303
Caption: Mother" is a word that needs no separate definition. The word "mother" is formed with the pronunciation "m" which is present in all languages like Maa/Amma etc. Even in the sound of various animals calling their mother, the influence of "M" can be seen. Nature's own part is this "Mother" race. So perhaps such is the similarity of these words. In this picture, two mothers who are holding by their hand and protecting their child. Mother nature and jungle cat mother.
“Mother’s protection”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Wildlife, Mammals
One evening of winter of Indian Sundarban I was in the safari and I had a information of jungle cat and her cubs. I was waiting for 3 hours with make distance. After some time I saw the mother jungle cat sleeping and her little cub was also sleeping in her lap. As sun down she started licking her cub and took up and move to the jungle. The whole moment was breathing to me. As I saw the life time moment, also the protective nature of mother.
Credit: Satyaki Naha, @satyakinaha_photography / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Caption: 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.
“Low tide on hermit crab island”
WINNER, Underwater
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. A study from 2003 found that its presence in large numbers generally indicates an environment that experiences higher freshwater flow than other marine intertidal regions. This is certainly true of the mangrove island I found at the entrance of Lake Macquarie which was absolutely teeming with these creatures. I visited this island at both low and high tides, and at low tide there were literally thousands of C.taeniatus feeding within the matrix of mangrove roots.
Credit: Alex Pike, @alexjpike / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Fiddler crab, Uca species, in the mud at sunset
“Claws of Power”
RUNNER UP, Wildlife, Other Species
A male Fiddler Crab (Uca sp.) performing a signal dance in the mud at sunset. During courtship, males wave their enlarged claw and produce sounds to attract females. This behavior is more intense at night and can involve synchronous waving with other males.
Credit: Javier Aznar González De Rueda, @javier_aznar_photography / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR  Javier Aznar González de Rueda
A Reticulated Python ensnares a Fruit Bat in its jaws, constricting it as it shrieks in pain.
“Breaking the Bat”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Wildlife, Other Species
A morning stroll at Singapore’s Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (2022), yielded an unexpected encounter. As I arrived, I noticed a Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus) hunting for Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bats (Cynopterus brachyotis) in the rafters. Out of nowhere, it made a daring lunge for a mother bat and her child, flinging itself off the rafters and onto a signboard below where I was observing them. I watched in astonishment as the python constricted the bats, which were emitting loud squeaks. However, this encounter was brief. Seemingly stunned from the harsh fall, the python released its grip on the two and swiftly departed shortly after. The baby bat tragically died, while its mother lived to see another day. The outcome was a photo of the longest snake in the world suffocating its helpless prey, which donned a chilling expression.
Credit: Robbin Tan, @robbintann / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Description: A gentle manatee grazes peacefully underwater, nestled beneath the tangled roots of a mangrove forest.
“Sunset Snack”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Underwater
A gentle manatee grazes peacefully underwater, nestled beneath the tangled roots of a mangrove forest.
Credit: Valentina Cucchiara, @valeoceano_liquidjungle / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 
Caption: The dancing trees of Sumba, framed through another dancing tree.
“The Dancing Trees”
HIGHLY COMMENDED, Landscape On the Ground
The dancing trees of Sumba, framed through another dancing tree.
Credit: Max Terwindt, @maxterwindt / MANGROVE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 

 

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