Young tigress captivates with fierce stare, earning esteemed photography accolades

Soham Bhattacharyya has won this year's Mangrove Photography Awards for his photo of an endangered tigress in the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve in India. The competition, organized by the Mangrove Action Project, aims to highlight the connections between wildlife, coastal communities, and mangrove forests, and to draw attention to the vulnerability of these ecosystems both above and below the waterline. Bhattacharyya's winning image, titled "The Finest Flower of the Mangroves," depicts a young Royal Bengal tigress in its natural mangrove habitat, appearing to gaze at the camera. The judges praised the photograph for capturing the tiger's isolation in its shrinking habitat. In 2021, the West Bengal Forest Department estimated that there were only 96 Royal Bengal tigers remaining in the region. Mangroves are vital in combating climate change, with one acre of mangrove forest absorbing nearly the same amount of carbon dioxide as an acre of Amazon rainforest. They also protect coastlines from erosion as storms become more intense. The judges emphasized the multifaceted role that photographs of mangroves play in advocating for the conservation and protection of these crucial coastal forests. The winning images from the competition's seven categories showcased the beauty and importance of mangroves in various locations around the world. The photographs captured scenes such as partially submerged mangrove roots, the stunning night sky illuminating the mangrove trees, and a camouflage expert common potoo perched on its nest. The images also showcased the mating behavior of nurse sharks in the Everglades National Park, the impact of plastic debris on hermit crabs and crocodiles, the protection that mangrove forests offer to lemon sharks, the symbiotic relationship between mangroves and coral reefs, the traditional clam diving practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the beauty of the white trunks of the mangroves in the Ru Cha forest in Vietnam, and the importance of mangroves to the oyster collectors in The Gambia River. These photos serve as a reminder of the fragile nature of mangroves and the urgent need to conserve and protect them. They highlight the interconnectedness of wildlife, communities, and mangrove ecosystems and emphasize the positive future that can be achieved through their preservation. The beauty and significance captured in these images instill hope for the future of mangrove ecosystems.