“I found this very friendly kangaroo sheltering under a snow gum during a storm,” says photographer Charlie Davis. “He was as cold as me and didn’t mind me sharing his shelter for a short while. Never had I seen such a tough animal endure such conditions as I did that day. The kangaroo’s fur was covered in ice and snow as it stood next to me shivering in the wind waiting for the storm to pass.” (Kosciuszko National Park, Australia)

“I was highly enthused and somewhat frightened when I encountered this polar bear family, as they have been known to occasionally prey on humans,” says Ron Thiessen. “Designated as a Special Concern species under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, these bears face an uncertain future as climate change is reducing the amount of time each year they can spend feeding on the ice. Thankfully, the Manitoba government has proposed a huge Polar Bear Provincial Park in the region that would provide protection of large areas of their land-based habitat to adapt to these changes as well as a secured home for the plethora of wildlife in the area. Manitoba’s largely undeveloped north provides an opportunity to plan for a balance of a prosperous economy and a healthy environment.”

A shark eats a lionfish at Gardens of the Queen National Marine Park, Cuba. Here diving instructors and marine biologists try to control invasive lionfish by training sharks to eat them, says photographer Mathieu Folquie.

“As a hobbyist photographer, keen wilderness adventurer, and a proud member of the Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, I know how rare it is to experience this wonderful boreal cat in such close proximity,” says Ron Thiessen “This moment was an outstanding treat!”. (Canada)

“I found these two quokkas on the beach at sunset foraging for food. They were not shy towards people, no doubt used to being fed,” says photographer Charlie Davis. “Coming in looking for scraps, they got so curious that later I had to clean off little nose marks they had left on my lens.” (Rottnest Island, Australia).

Giraffe crossing the White Umfolozi River in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. “I spend most of every year travelling to this region’s incredible national parks and nature reserves, documenting and photographing the landscapes, animals and people,” says photographer Scott Ramsey. (Winner, social category)

“The baobab is the national tree of Madagascar. Of the nine genera in the Word, six are found only in Madagascar [two are in Arabia and one in Australia]. However due to deforestation, three of these baobab species are endangered and facing a serious threat of extinction,” says photographer Emiline. “This photo was taken at the famous ‘Avenue des Baobabs’ which is found along a dirt road in the Menabe region of Madagascar, near the city of Morondava. The trees are thought to be up to 800 years old and remain under threat from slash-and-burn agriculture, encroaching rice paddies, overgrazing and bark collection. In recent years the Malagasy authorities and some NGOs have taken some conservation measures to protect their precious forests, including this beautiful area in the western Madagascar.”

“These rhinos were photographed at Hlane Royal National Park in Swaziland. Hlane is Swaziland’s largest protected area that covers 30,000 hectares of Swazi bushland, trees and grasslands,” says photographer Emiline. “Hlane offers a sanctuary for rhinos from poachers and is well protected. This photo was taken while on a walking safari tour at Hlane. We were very lucky to see this white rhino mum and her baby. The baby is young and hasn’t yet grown a full horn.”

“For many years I have dreamed of visiting Lord Howe Island, the small volcanic island off the coast of NSW,” says photographer Emiline. “Lord Howe Island is a UNESCO World Heritage area with many endemic bird species and marine life. The surrounding waters are also protected as the Lord Howe Island Marine Park. The locals and government at Lord Howe are doing fantastic work to conserve the environment there. There are limited numbers of tourists allowed on the island at any given time, and much of the island (75%) is undisturbed, natural vegetation. Because the island is so untouched and has so few visitors, we found that much of the wildlife there were openly curious about us as we were in them. At Ned’s Beach, visitors and locals can feed the fish, and there is a strict no fishing policy. I took this photo of a Silver Drummer smiling for the camera.”

“I was selected to participate in the International Antarctic Expedition in 2012,” says photographer Hasita B. “Little did I know that the experience of visiting Antarctica would change my life forever. Antarctica is protected under the Antarctic Treaty until 2041. This means that for the next 27 years Antarctica is protected for science and peace and exploitation for oil, minerals and natural gas are all prohibited till then. This also means that it is up to the youth of today to take action when needed 27 years from now. I am 25 and in 2041, I will hopefully have made a career to ensure that I represent India when this Treaty is up for review. This picture was taken in Neko Harbour, my favourite place in the whole world. As a part of our expedition, we were taught environmental issues and we promised to make a difference back in our home countries for the protection of this wonderfully, magnificent continent. The deafening silence at Neko Harbour, the combined beauty of ice, snow and water and the hope that we could leave just this one place alone was enough to make a lifetime commitment to ensure that Antarctica remains protected forever”

“Sri Lanka harbours one of the greatest concentrations of amphibians in relation to area on the planet. There are 120 species of amphibians here and 94 of these are found nowhere else in the world,” says photographer Mili K. “These species are also faced with habitat fragmentation and loss. Deforestation has meant that Sri Lanka has only 2-3 per cent of its primary forest remaining. Even the remaining forest is patchily distributed. This rare leaf-nesting shrub frog is one the species threatened by rainforest fragmentation and isolation.”  (Adam’s Peak Sanctuary, Sri Lanka)

“In a severe drought in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, the land is parched. Dust devils punctuate the dry savanna. Suddenly, a mother elephant bursts into a clearing, desperate to protect her calf from a towering dust devil that seems intent on consuming them,” says photogrpaher Martin Sneary. “Their ears raised and back, they flee the raging dust storm, the mother instinctively positioning herself between the dust devil and her frightened calf, shielding the youngster from the terrifying dust monster. In the vast African savanna, in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, these elephants play out a daily ritual of survival.”

“The Ngerukewid Islands National Wildlife Preserve is a ‘no entry, no take, no disturbance’ area within the larger Rock Islands Southern Lagoon World Heritage Area [of Palau],” says photographer Stuart Chape. “The marine and terrestrial areas of the Rock Islands have great biological, cultural, and economic value to Palau and the world, and provide critical habitat for the majority of the country’s threatened and endangered species. The wider area supports Palau’s tourism industry and the nation’s economy, as well as contributing to people’s health and well-being through commercial and subsistence harvesting of its natural resources.”

“Chambers Pillar lies in the north-western end of the Simpson Desert,” says photographer Akaphot. “The early explorers used it as a landmark and the Ghan railway line passed close by. The book ‘One Thousand Cuts’ by Rodd Moss features this photograph, and tells the indigenous story of the Pillar. The local Aboriginal people call it ‘Idracowra’, in ‘Titjikala’ territory, and it is a place for mens business.” (Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve, Australia)

“Diving with grey nurse sharks can be a thrilling experience,” says photographer Justin Gilligan. “They are fully equipped with quintessential characteristics such as a formidable set of pointed dentures. A case of mistaken identity left them wrongly accused of a spate of shark attacks off Sydney beaches in the 1960s. Large numbers were targeted by divers wielding spear-guns loaded with an explosive power head that detonated on impact. Their docile nature and aggregating behavior made them easy targets and by the mid-80’s they had been hunted to the brink of extinction. After much lobbying, the grey nurse was protected in 1984 by the New South Wales government, at the time making them the first protected shark species in the world. Slowly increasing numbers now find protection within protected areas such as this sanctuary zone within the Port Stephens-Great Lakes Marine Park.”

“Filming and photographing manta rays at Lady Elliot Island. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to help protect and safeguard the natural world, especially the marine realm,” says photographer Fabrice Jaine. “I instinctively embarked in a career as a marine scientist, with a hidden dream of becoming a conservation photographer to bring important conservation issues to light and inspire environmental stewardship. In 2013 I completed a PhD degree in Marine Science focusing on the conservation biology of manta rays. I now aim to use my knowledge and photographs to raise awareness on these gentle giants and help improve their protection.” (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia – Winner, specialist category)

“Fishing is a valued past time and a great way to get back in tune with your self and breathe some clean fresh air,” says photographer Miss Johnston. “No better way to experience this and bring you right back to nature than to share it with a couple of local furry friends.” (Australia)