Guardian of the Mangroves – Overall Winner. Tanya Houppermans, Cuba. A curious American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) swims right up to Tanya, at Gardens of the Queen (Jardines De La Reina), an archipelago off the coast of Cuba. It has been strictly protected since 1996, and is one of the most untouched marine ecosystems in the world. ‍ “The healthy population of American crocodiles is down to the pristine condition of the mangroves and I wanted to capture close ups of this gentle giant in its natural habitat. I hope this image can illustrate that protecting areas like this is so critical”. (Photo by Tanya Griffin Houppermans/Mangrove Photographer of the Year)

An exile Tibetan artisan waits to perform a traditional dance after an early morning prayer session to usher in the Year of the Water Hare in Dharamshala, India, Tuesday, February 21, 2023. (Photo by Ashwini Bhatia/AP Photo)

A skater jumps through a ring of fire at the La Bodega Skate facilities as part of one of the Vans contests to showcase the top street skaters in Europe on September 16, 2023 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. (Photo by Juan Carlos Toro/Getty Images)

Crystal ice cubes at Jingyuetan National Forest Park attract tourists in Changchun City, northeast China's Jilin Province on January 10, 2024. (Photo by Splash News and Pictures)

Alex Sun, left, Peter Simplicio and Matt Connelly jump through a hole in the ice into Lake Andrews on the Bates College campus, Friday, February 9, 2024, in Lewiston, Maine. The annual Bates College Puddle jump started 50 years ago as a Winter Carnival tradition. (Photo by Andree Kehn/AP Photo)

Class of 2027 plebes climb during the Herndon Monument Climb at the U.S. Naval Academy, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Annapolis, Md. Freshmen, known as Plebes, participate in the climb to celebrate finishing their first year at the academy. The climb was completed in two hours, nineteen minsters and eleven seconds to complete. (Photo by Tom Brenner/AP Photo)

Runners use headtorches as they compete in Centurion South Downs Way 100 ultramarathon, at Firle Bostal near Lewes, south of London on June 9, 2024. The Centurion South Downs Way 100, is an ultramarathon, predominantly off road course, covering a distance of 100 miles (160,9 kilometres) and that takes the competitors along the South Downs Way from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Sussex. (Photo by Ben Stansall/AFP Photo)

Riot police fire tear gas during a protest by supporters of Dilma Rousseff in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 31, 2016. (Photo by Paulo Whitaker/Reuters)