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)

Mariana Sousa, student of the Ballet Paraisopolis, warms up during a rehearse in Paraisopolis favela, outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil on August 27, 2020, amid the new coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The 200 ballet students of Paraisopolis, the second largest favela in Sao Paulo, restarted rehearsals after five months with a coreography about a police operation that put their community in mourning last year. (Photo by Nelson Almeida/AFP Photo)

A participant flies a kite during the “Letatlin N4” annual Festival of Kites, in Moscow, Russia on June 6, 2021. (Photo by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP Photo)

Women with red paint on their bodies participate in a rally to mark International Women's Day, in Bogota, Colombia on March 8, 2023. (Photo by Mahe Elipe/Reuters)

Randy Orton is seen in action against Rey Mysterio during the single match of WWE “Crown Jewel” World Cup 2018 tournament at King Saud University stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 2, 2018. (Photo by Faisal al Nasser/Reuters)

A boy sleds through snow as he enjoys the snow in Bahcesaray district called as planet nine because of roads blocked by snow in winter, in Van province of Turkey on January 22, 2020. (Photo by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

People take photos inside the Chanchao Meow Expo 2022 in Taipei, Taiwan on October 14, 2022. (Photo by Ann Wang/Reuters)

A woman leaps while arriving to greet a loved one during CLEAR Connects: A Day of Families, a mass reunion event, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S., May 6, 2021. (Photo by Brendan McDermid/Reuters)