The close-up of a crocodile near the mangroves of the Cuban archipelago Jardines de la Reina has given Tanya Houppermans the prize in the Mangrove Photography.
“The healthy crocodile population is due to the pristine condition of the mangroves, and I wanted to capture close-ups of this gentle giant in its natural habitat,” Houppermans said in a statement. pickups by BBC World.
Check out our #MangrovePhotographyAwards featured in @guardian ?????
From a close up crocodile to a crab fishing in a cave here is a look at the winning images, runners up and some commended entries in this years awards!https://t.co/Am2BWvBtS3
— MangroveActionProject (@MangroveProject) October 31, 2022
The American Houppermans is an underwater photographer and a few years ago, regarding some impressive images made of sharks, she explained about her work.
He said he had left the corporate world to focus full time on underwater photography and ocean conservation.
“My favorite subjects are sharks, but I really like to photograph anything underwater, from tiny shrimp to huge shipwrecks,” he said, quoted by Yahoo News.
Now, it has been the absolute winner of the Mangrove Photography.
In its eighth year, the contest organized by the Mangrove Action Project aims to showcase the relationships between wildlife, coastal communities and mangrove forests. In addition, it seeks to expose the fragility of these unique ecosystems, both above and below the water, the medium points out.
Queen’s Gardens It is an archipelago off the coast of Cuba and has been a protected area since 1996. The National Park is administered by the Minag Flora and Fauna Business Group of Cuba and is managed in close coordination with the Marlin Azulmar tourism company.
The area, which covers more than 2,000 square kilometers, is on the southwestern coast of Cuba and protects mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs, considered by experts to be some of the healthiest habitats left in the Caribbean Sea region.
Remember the report of BBC that mangroves represent an important protection against climate change: 4,000 m2 of mangrove forests absorb almost the same amount of carbon dioxide as 4,000 m2 of Amazon rainforest. These forests also protect coastlines from erosion as storms become more frequent.
Jardines de la Reina National Park receives prestigious Blue Park award
“The Mangrove Photography Awards have become a platform to intrigue people about the magnificent ecological role that mangroves play in all of our lives,” said Judge Dhritiman Mukherjee, quoted by BBC.
Octavio Aburto, another judge, added: “This year’s images captured our imagination… They give us hope and illuminate a positive future for mangrove ecosystems.”
With information from BBC, The Guardian and Yahoo News.