The British Ecological Society has unveiled the winners of its Capturing Ecology photography competition. The photographs, all either taken by ecologists or students, were taken all over the world, and capture both the beauty and frailty of the natural world.
Roberto García Roa won the overall award for this photograph of a Malagasy tree boa. “Unfortunately, many areas of Madagascar are suffering huge anthropic pressures including poaching and fires, and big snakes are becoming increasingly difficult to see,” the postdoctoral researcher at the University of Valencia says of his winning entry. “During my visit to Madagascar, I had the pleasure of finding this outstanding snake and photographing it. To offer a dramatic scenario reflecting the conditions that these snakes are suffering, I used an external red light as a source of light and severe blurring to capture the environment.”
“This stunning image not only captures the beauty of the Malagasy tree boa, which is endemic to the island of Madagascar, but also its vulnerability, especially to hunting and fire,” adds Professor Richard Bardgett, President of the British Ecological Society. “A remarkable image and deserving winner.” Roa also won the awards in the Up Close and Personal and Dynamic Ecosystems categories.
Meanwhile, Nilanjan Chatterjee was overall student winner. The PhD student at the Wildlife Institute of India won with a shot of a male plumbeous water-redstart preying upon waterborne insects.
Mikhail Kapychka was the overall runner up with a photo of autumnal birch trees.
The winners were chosen by a six-strong panel of ecologists and wildlife photographers. They will be on display from February 11 2020 at the Ulster Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
You can view all the winning entries, and the runners up, in our accompanying gallery.
Source: British Ecological Society