The Mangrove Action Project has announced the winners of the 11th edition of its annual photography competition, the Mangrove Photography Awards. This event has become essential viewing for nature enthusiasts and photography lovers alike, celebrating these exceptional ecosystems that are simultaneously fascinating, vital, and under severe threat.
This year's competition broke participation records with 3,303 submissions from 78 countries. The goal remains consistent: to capture the rich biodiversity surrounding mangrove ecosystems while raising awareness about the multiple threats facing these precious coastal forests.
A Powerful Image Takes Top Honors in 2025
The prestigious title of Mangrove Photographer of the Year was awarded to Mark Ian Cook for his spectacular aerial photograph titled "Birds Eye View of the Hunt." The image captures a group of roseate spoonbills flying above a lemon shark in the midst of hunting, set in the shallow waters bordered by mangroves in Florida Bay.
Mangroves: Often Forgotten Environmental Heroes
Present in more than 120 countries, mangrove forests serve as natural barriers against climate disasters. They store up to five times more carbon than terrestrial tropical forests, harbor exceptional biodiversity, support local fishing industries, and protect more than 15 million people from flooding. Despite their crucial role, more than half of these ecosystems could disappear by 2050.
Photography as a Tool for Environmental Awareness
This mission is carried out through diverse categories ranging from wildlife to environmental threats. Among this year's most striking images is Tom Quinney's photograph showing a mangrove suffocated under a mountain of waste in Indonesia, as well as images of horseshoe crabs trapped in fishing nets. Conversely, some photographs celebrate the deep human connections between coastal communities and their environment, such as women harvesting honey in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh.
In 2025, the competition expanded its international scope by creating two unprecedented regional distinctions: the Emirates Award and the Arabian Gulf Award, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency. New subcategories were also introduced, reflecting the evolution of photographic practices and contemporary environmental challenges.
The Complete List of 2025 Winners
Mangrove Photographer of the Year: "Birds Eye View of the Hunt" by Mark Ian Cook
Young Photographer of the Year: "Crocodiles and Galaxy" by Nicholas Hess
Emirates Award: "Morning Serenity in Abu Dhabi" by Ahmed Badwan
Arabian Gulf Award: "Cormorants Welcome the Sunrise in the Embrace of Mangroves" by Dr. Mahdi Mohammad Gholoum
Category Winners:
Humans and Livelihoods Category: "Bhoben Biseash and His Otters" by Freddie Claire
Humans, Conservation and Restoration Category: "Mangrove Honey Bees Create the Land" by Ian Rock
Wildlife, Birds Category: "Avian Impressionism" by Mark Ian Cook
Wildlife, Mammals Category: "A Snack in the Mangrove Forest" by Satwika Satria
Wildlife, Other Species Category: "Night in the Mangrove" by Christian Møldrup Legaard
Black and White Landscape Category: "Salute" by Vladimir Borzykin
Aerial Landscape Category: "Mangroves and Modernity" by Ahmed Badwan
Ground-Level Landscape Category: "Mangrove Under the Milky Way" by Gwi Bin Lim
Mangroves and Threats Category: "Buried Paradise" by Tom Quinney
Mangroves and Underwater Category: "Low Tide on Hermit Crab Island" by Alex Pike
Conservation Stories Portfolio Category: "A Woman's Fight in the Sundarbans Mangrove" by Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
A Call to Action Through Art
Each winning photograph serves as a call to action, an invitation to view these forgotten forests between land and sea from a new perspective. The images range from breathtaking wildlife encounters to sobering documentation of environmental destruction, creating a comprehensive narrative about the current state of mangrove ecosystems worldwide.
The competition's expansion to include regional awards demonstrates the global nature of mangrove conservation challenges. The Emirates Award and Arabian Gulf Award specifically highlight the unique mangrove ecosystems of the Middle East, bringing attention to these often-overlooked regions.
Many of the winning images tell stories beyond their visual impact. The portfolio winner, Mohammad Rakibul Hasan's "A Woman's Fight in the Sundarbans Mangrove," documents the ongoing struggles and resilience of communities whose lives are intimately connected to these threatened ecosystems.
The diversity of categories reflects the multifaceted nature of mangrove ecosystems and the various ways they intersect with human life. From the technical excellence required for underwater photography to the patience needed for wildlife documentation, each category celebrates different aspects of photographic skill while maintaining focus on conservation messaging.
The record-breaking participation from 78 countries underscores the global recognition of mangroves' importance and the growing community of photographers dedicated to environmental storytelling. These images serve not only as artistic achievements but as crucial documentation of ecosystems that may not exist for future generations.
For those interested in viewing all the winning images and reading the compelling stories behind them, the complete collection is available on the Mangrove Action Project's official website. The organization also encourages viewers to explore previous years' winners, including the impactful photographs from the 2023 Mangrove Photography Awards, to see the ongoing evolution of environmental photography and conservation efforts.
