Dreamlike image of tadpoles in a lake wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024

By Jack Guy, CNN

London (CNN) — A magical underwater image of western toad tadpoles has won the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The winning image, “The Swarm of Life” by Canadian photojournalist Shane Gross, was chosen from a record-breaking 59,228 entries, according to a statement from the organizers, published Tuesday.

“Shane captured the image whilst snorkelling for several hours through carpets of lily pads in Cedar Lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, making sure not to disturb the fine layers of silt and algae covering the bottom of the lake,” the organizers said.

“A near threatened species due to habitat destruction and predators, these tadpoles start their transition into toads between four and twelve weeks after hatching, but an estimated 99% of them will not survive to adulthood.”

Jury chair Kathy Moran, former deputy director of photography at National Geographic magazine, said the judges were “captivated by the mix of light, energy and connectivity between the environment and the tadpoles.”

The Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year award went to Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas for “Life Under Dead Wood,” a close-up composite image of 36 photographs of slime mold and a springtail, a kind of tiny arthropod.

“A photographer attempting to capture this moment not only brings great skill, but incredible attention to detail, patience and perseverance,” Moran said in the statement. “To see a macro image of two species photographed on the forest floor, with such skill, is exceptional.”

These two grand title winners were chosen from the 18 category winners, which included photographs of a hawk eating a squirrel, a lynx stretching in the sun and a falcon hunting a butterfly.

“We are delighted to feature such inspiring images in this year’s portfolio – these are photographs that not only encourage further wildlife conservation efforts, but that spark the creation of real advocates for our planet on a global scale,” Doug Gurr, director of London’s Natural History Museum, which organizes the competition, said in the statement.

An exhibition of 100 awarded images will open at the museum on Friday.

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