Dr Jason Gulley’s conservation success story from Florida receives high praise in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition

A heartwarming image of a manatee and its calf gliding through the waters of Hunter Springs, Florida, has captivated judges in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition.

The manatee photo is one of several highly commended entries in the competition, which features extraordinary images from around the globe. The winners will be announced on October 8, followed by an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, showcasing 100 of the best photographs.

Dr Gulley shared with the BBC that he doesn’t usually submit photos to competitions but was captivated by the playful and curious nature of the manatees. His image is a testament to the positive impact of community-driven conservation, as more manatees are now being recorded in the area than ever before.

Other highly commended images include a stoat leaping exuberantly through fresh snow in France, a jaguar delivering a fatal bite to a caiman in Brazil, and a pair of seals surfacing beside an Antarctic expedition ship. Each photograph offers a unique glimpse into the lives of animals and the environments they inhabit, reminding us of the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

The competition’s entries also highlight species and behaviours often overlooked, like the vibrant orange Heteropoda davidbowie spider found in Malaysia, and mussels clinging to rocks on the ocean floor in Portugal. In Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024, these images, along with many others, serve as powerful reminders of the need to protect and appreciate our planet’s wildlife.

Photo Captions

1. Manatee and Calf: Dr. Jason Gulley’s photograph of a manatee and its calf in Hunter Springs, Florida, celebrates the success of local conservation efforts in restoring their habitat.
2. Stoat in Snow: Jose Manuel Grandío captures the exuberant leap of a stoat in Athose, France, amid fresh snowfall.
3. Jaguar and Caiman: Ian Ford’s stunning image shows a jaguar in Brazil’s Pantanal delivering a deadly bite to a yacare caiman.
4. Pallas’s Cat: Xingchao Zhu’s portrait of a Pallas’s cat in Inner Mongolia, China, captures the wild feline just after a successful hunt.
5. Heteropoda Spider: Lam Soon Tak’s photograph of the Heteropoda davidbowie spider, named after the rock icon, stands out against the lush green of Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands.

Analysis

Political: The highlighted images in this competition may inspire further discussions on the importance of conservation policies and the role of communities in protecting endangered species. Dr. Gulley’s photograph, in particular, underscores the positive outcomes of such efforts.

Social: The wide range of species and behaviours captured in these images can raise public awareness about the diversity of wildlife and the challenges many species face. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition’s compelling visuals are likely to foster emotional connections, potentially encouraging greater support for conservation initiatives.

Economic: The global attention brought by this competition and the subsequent exhibition at the Natural History Museum may boost tourism and interest in wildlife photography, contributing economically to regions associated with these images.