The third edition of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Prize was held. During the event several images were awarded. The awards seek to convey a message that promotes conservation and the great importance of preserving nature. In a press release, the president of the qualifying jury, Sergio Pitamitz, stated that “Photography is a very powerful tool to give a voice to flora and fauna that are threatened and to biodiversity.”
The jury in charge of evaluating and selecting the winning photographs is made up of 7 photographers. This team chose the award-winning works in each category from a total of 10,000 images submitted by some 2,300 photographers from various parts of the world. Among the winning photographs were an arctic fox swept by the wind, a man and a boy in a flooded living room, birds murmuring in front of a snowstorm in the Himalayas, among others.
The pageant’s top prize went to an image showing an anguished elephant trying to defend itself after being hit by a freight train in Lopé National Park, which is located in the nation of Gabon, on the west coast of Gabon. Central Africa. It should be noted that after this incident the animal’s hip was so destroyed that there was no possibility of improvement and the elephant died. In addition, after the death of the pachyderm, the director of the park distributed its meat among the local community.
These types of photographs are a sad reminder of the consequences of the current conflict between animals and humans. This problem increases more and more due to the loss of habitats as a result of various human activities, such as the development of new urban areas and agriculture. According to the photographer from the Netherlands, Jasper Doest, he believes that “images have the power to inspire change.”
Jasper Doest was in charge of the aforementioned elephant photograph. Doest said that he “was able to react in a split second to such an event.” The photographer from the Netherlands commented that his photography serves not only to document that history, but also to give a voice to the elephants that inhabit the forests of the African continent.
But not all award photos portrayed tragic or negative situations. In the category called “Change Makers: reasons for hope” positive elements of the connection between human beings and nature are revealed. Such is the case of an image where you can see some elephants that are lifted by a crane onto a truck, to be transferred from the Liwonde National Park to the Kasungu National Park, which is located in Malawi, in southern Africa. Although this process may seem somewhat strange, it is part of a conservation initiative which is designed to keep park habitats healthy and establish resilient and stable elephant populations.
Another of the photographs that stood out at the awards is one where a fake scene of rhinoceros poaching is shown at the Wildlife Forensics Academy, which is located in the nation of South Africa. The image shows 2 park rangers who are collecting vital forensic evidence with the aim of convicting the poachers responsible for the act in court.
The award-winning photographs are currently on display on the Promenade du Lavotto in Monaco. Then they will go on an international tour which will visit several countries.
