The Winners of the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards

Jul 26, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A split image: on the left, a flock of pink birds flies over green water; on the right, two blue-gray birds with open wings and beaks face each other on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves. — Photo credits: Mark Ian Cook (left) and Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi (right).

The winners of the 2025 Mangrove Photography Awards have been announced, highlighting these unique and fragile ecosystems.

Today is World Mangrove Day, and the Mangrove Action Project is marking it with this fantastic competition, which has been won by Mark Ian Cook with his photo, ‘Birds Eye View of the Hunt.’

At first glance, the scene of Roseate Spoonbills gliding over a lemon shark hunting mullet in the mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay may give the appearance of a peaceful and balanced
habitat. But Cook’s aerial shot documents what could be the last of the Everglades’ iconic birds, whose very health and survival are intrinsically linked with the health of the Everglades.

Aerial view of a flock of pink birds flying over greenish water, with a large dark fish or shark swimming below the surface to the right of the birds. — A flock of Roseate Spoonbills glide over a lemon shark hunting mullet in the shallow, mangrove-lined waters of Florida Bay. Overall winner. | Mark Ian Cook

“Historically, Florida Bay was the primary nesting region of the Roseate Spoonbill in the US, but this species is becoming increasingly rare there as sea level rise negatively impacts their important mangrove foraging habitat,” Cook says.

“Spoonbills are tactile foragers, meaning they feed by touch. However, for this foraging method to be successful, the birds need relatively shallow water with very high densities of fish. This becomes particularly critical during the energetic bottleneck of the nesting season.”

Wildlife

Aerial view of black animals, likely wildebeest, moving in a line across a textured, yellow and white landscape, creating winding trails behind them. — Blue-winged Teal create ephemeral artwork as they dabble for food in the chai-coloured shallows of Florida Bay, Florida. Winner of the Birds category. | Mark Ian Cook

Three flamingos stand in shallow water with their reflections visible, two of them with heads down drinking, set against a blurred green background of foliage. — In the Jazan region, mangrove trees are vital coastal habitats that provide a rich food environment for migratory flamingos. These birds feed on algae and small invertebrates like crustaceans and plankton in the shallow waters. The mangroves offer a safe refuge, shielding them from disturbances and predators—making them an ideal rest stop during migration and a key contributor to biodiversity along Saudi Arabia’s coastlines. Runner Up in the Birds category. | Ibrahim Alshwamin

Two birds with blue and white feathers face each other on a tree branch, wings spread wide, surrounded by dense green leaves, appearing to interact or communicate. — Moment two Collared Kingfishers fight near a mangrove forest fringe. Highly Commended in the Bird category. | Mohamad Hud Zaqwan Mohamed Saufi.

A split-level photo shows a bird standing on a branch over clear water, with a school of small fish swimming below and lush green trees and blue sky in the background. — A Pacific Reef Heron hunts a school of fish from a mangrove branch in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Highly Commended in the Bird category. | Nicholas Hess

A young proboscis monkey with reddish-brown fur is perched on tree branches surrounded by green leaves in a dense forest, looking curiously toward the camera. — A young proboscis monkey enjoys an avicennia fruit amidst the dense mangrove forest. Winner of the Mammals category. | Satwika Satria

Three Bengal tigers stand close together, partially hidden among dense green bushes and tall plants, blending into the lush jungle background. — Sundarbans is a challenging place because Tiger territories keep submerging into water every six hours according to the moon cycle. While there is a myth among people that Tigers do not do scent/territory markings here because they lose the mark in water very quickly, I was lucky to photograph this rare behavior in mangroves. The funny part was that the entire urine went on the subadult Tiger’s face. Runner Up in the Mammals category. | Trikansh Sharma

A wild cat stretches and yawns on muddy ground surrounded by mangrove trees and roots, with its back arched and mouth wide open. — In the heart of the Sundarbans, the elusive Jungle Cat awakens with a powerful yawn — revealing nature’s sharp edge amid the tangled roots and tidal waters of the mangrove wilderness. Highly Commended in the Mammals category. | Tanmoy Das Karmakar

Long-exposure photo of fireflies creating bright, squiggly light trails above dense bushes at night, with circular star trails visible in the sky behind tall trees. — The dance of a colony of fireflies painting trails of light across a mangrove apple tree in the dark as captured by a long exposure. The trails gathering around this particular tree shows the fireflies’ affinity for the particular tree, with only a few individuals venturing away briefly before turning back. Winner of the Other Species category. | Christian Møldrup Legaard

A crab stands on sandy ground, silhouetted against a glowing orange sunset, with one large claw raised and dramatic swirling light in the background. — A male Fiddler Crab performing a signal dance in the mud at sunset. Runner Up in the Other Species category. | Javier Aznar González De Rueda

A mudskipper rests on a mangrove root above shallow water, surrounded by mangrove trees with exposed roots under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Amid the tangle of mangrove roots on Havelock Island in the Andaman archipelago, India, a mudskipper rests between the arching roots of a Rhizophora mangrove tree. Perfectly adapted to an amphibious life, mudskippers use their pectoral fins to “walk” on land, while their protruding eyes scan both sky and water for predators. Thriving at the edge of two worlds, these remarkable fish are synonymous with the mangrove ecosystem. Highly Commended in the Other Species category. | Vydehi Kadur

Two crocodiles float in dark water at night, partially illuminated, with dense green trees behind them and a star-filled sky, including the Milky Way, overhead. — A pair of American Crocodiles sit before The Milky Way Galaxy in a mangrove forest in the Florida Everglades. Highly Commended in the Other Species category and Winner of the Young Photographer competition. | Nicholas Hess

Threats

A large landfill rises behind a dense, green mangrove forest with some leafless trees and muddy ground in the foreground; a few tiny figures stand on top of the trash heap under a cloudy sky. — Not far from Bali’s airport and tourist beaches, I came across this mountain of waste towering behind one of the island’s struggling mangrove forests. Young shoots rise while dead trunks mark where others failed. The scene is a quiet warning—of resilience under threat and of what lies just out of frame in paradise. I took this photo to show the uneasy edge where mass tourism, urban waste, and vital ecosystems collide. Winner of the Threats category. | Tom Quinney

Two horseshoe crabs partially buried in muddy ground among mangrove roots and young trees, with tangled vegetation and misty mountains in the background under a cloudy sky. — A poignant reminder of the dangers lurking in our coastal ecosystems: multiple horseshoe crabs find themselves ensnared in a ghost net that became stuck within the mangroves, highlighting the urgent need for action against marine debris, both in the ocean and on our coastlines. Runner Up in the Threats category. | Daphne Wong

Landscape

A lone person casts a fishing net in the shallow water of a wide, mostly dry riverbed under a cloudy sky, with stretches of sand and sparse vegetation on both sides. The scene is in black and white. — A fisherman is fishing in the river Matla during the low tide. Runner Up in the Black & White category. | Rajesh Dhar

A cluster of modern skyscrapers rises above dense morning fog, with lush green mangroves and winding waterways in the foreground under a clear blue sky. — The harmonious blend of mangrove nature with the modernity of the city — a captivating contrast where urban innovation meets the timeless rhythm of the wild. Winner of the From the Air category. | Ahmed Badwan

Aerial view of a river delta with branching, tree-like orange streams spreading over sandy and golden terrain, bordered by dark green vegetation in the lower corners. — Aerial image taken from a helicopter of a tannin stained tidal creek and mixed mangrove community, NSW north coast. Runner Up in the From the Air category. | Stuart Chape

A night sky filled with stars and the Milky Way stretches above a dark landscape with silhouetted trees and faintly illuminated green foliage. — A stunning view of the Milky Way unfolds above a landscape where mangrove trees and forests blend in perfect harmony. Winner of the On the Ground category. | Gwi Bin Lim

A twisted, gnarled tree frames the sun, which creates a starburst effect at sunset. Shallow water reflects the sky, and a distant smaller tree stands alone on the horizon. The scene is warm and tranquil. — Photo taken at the seashore of Trawangan island, Indonesia, during sunset time. Runner Up in the On the Ground category. | Hoang The Nhiem

People

A man stands behind a wooden enclosure, guiding otters with ropes as several otters on the ground eat fish, with a cloudy sky in the background. — The otters get their reward for a busy morning of fishing. Winner of the Livelihoods category. | Freddie Claire

Underwater

A partially submerged mangrove tree with tangled fishing nets above water and small fish swimming among the submerged roots below the waterline. Sunlight filters through the leaves and water. — Half and half scene of mangroves, cardinalfish, and ghost net, Indonesia. Runner Up in the Underwater category. | Renee Capozzola

A split-view image shows clear blue water with sharks and tropical fish swimming near the sandy bottom, while lush green trees and leaves hang over the shoreline above the surface. — A juvenile blacktip reef shark swims in its mangrove lagoon nursery in Palau. Highly Commended in the Underwater category. | Kiliii Yuyan

Emirates Award

A person on a paddleboard glides across calm water at sunset, surrounded by small clusters of trees and a distant shoreline with vegetation under an orange, hazy sky. — A serene morning kayak journey through the lush mangroves on one of Abu Dhabi’s tranquil islands — where nature whispers in stillness, and sunlight dances gently on the water’s surface, creating a scene of pure harmony. Winner of the Emirates Award. | Ahmed Badwan

A panoramic view of a modern city skyline at sunset, with tall skyscrapers reflected in calm water and dense green mangroves in the foreground under a colorful sky. — An aerial view from Reem Island where mangrove roots nourish the land, and skyscrapers rise—reflecting a city that breathes with nature. Runner Up for the Emirates Award. | Salem Alsawafi

Mangroves are ecological powerhouses. They sequester up to five times more carbon than terrestrial forests, protect over 15 million people from flooding, support the livelihoods of millions of fishers and coastal communities, and provide vital habitats for countless marine and terrestrial species.

Despite these widespread benefits, 50% of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse by 2050, due to urban development and deforestation. More info can be found on the Mangrove Action Project website.