The mesmerising image of a slumbering polar bear on a small iceberg has been announced as the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award.
The photograph was captured by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani at the Svalbard archipelago in Norway. Titled ‘Ice Bed,’ the image features a male polar bear who has just laid down to sleep on an iceberg.
Sarikhani said he was honoured to have won the award this year. “This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it... Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope. There is still time to fix the mess we have caused,” he said in a statement.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, witnessed an overwhelming response this year, with over 75,000 people participating in the voting process.
There were around 50,000 entries from 95 countries, while Sarikhani's ‘Ice Bed’ was selected from a shortlist of 25 images.
Dr Douglas Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum said “Sarikhani's breath-taking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet.”
“His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss,” Gurr added.
As per the Natural History Museum, Sarikhani spent three days searching for polar bears aboard an expedition vessel, but he was thwarted by thick fog around the Norwegian islands. Luckily, he came across an area of sea ice, where he encountered a pair of bears one younger and one older.
Sarikhani tracked the two bears for almost eight hours until the younger male decided to rest.
Besides ‘Ice Bed,’ there were four other images that were highly commended by voters. All of them will be displayed at the London-based museum till June 30.
The other four images include ‘The Happy Turtle’ by Tzahi Finkelstein, ‘Starling Murmuration’ by Daniel Dencescu, ‘Shared Parenting’ by Mark Boyd, and ‘Aurora Jellies’ by Audun Rikardsen.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!
Lok Sabha Election 2024: Phase 5 voting concludes with over 57% voter turnout, experts weigh in on key battles
May 20, 2024 11:07 PM
BJP holds meeting in Delhi as polling underway for 5th phase
May 20, 2024 4:21 PM
UP Police arrests man after viral videos shows him voting multiple times
May 20, 2024 2:18 PM