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)

A woman dancer prepare a performance during Nyepi celebration, the annual day of silence marking Balinese Hindu new year in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Most Balinese practice self-reflection and stay at home to observe the quiet holiday, and tourists visiting the island are asked not to leave their hotels and the airport will be closed. (Photo by Firdia Lisnawati/AP Photo)

Kenichi Ito runs on his arms and legs on a race course on his way to setting the Guinness World Record fastest time for the 100-meter dash on all fours at Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium in Tokyo Thursday, November 14, 2013. The 30-year-old Japanese finished in 16.87 seconds Thursday, shaving more than half a second off his 2012 run of 17.47. (Photo by Shizuo Kambayashi/AP Photo)

An Indian artist gives the finishing touches to a figure of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha at a workshop ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in New Delhi on September 15, 2015. The idol is meant for the forthcoming festival Ganesha Chaturthi, a ten-day long event which is celebrated all over India. During the Ganpati festival, that is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, idols of the Hindu deity are worshipped at hundreds of pandals or makeshift tents before they are immersed into water bodies. This year, the festival starts on 17 September 2015. (Photo by Sajjad Hussain/AFP Photo)

An adult and two children stop to cool off at the water from an open fire hydrant in hot and humid weather in New York City on Thursday, July 11, 2024. After dealing with extreme humidity and heat for the past few days the trip-state area got a break as humidity levels took a slight but noticeable drop. (Photo by John Angelillo/UPI/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Female members of police commando march during a ceremony on International Women's Day, at the police headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan March 8, 2018. (Photo by Faisal Mahmood/Reuters)

People take part in a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 8, 2024. (Photo by Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters)

“The fantastic landscape of Bagan in Myanmar features hundreds of temples and pagodas as far as the eye can see. Experiencing this sight at dawn from the basket of a hot air balloon will remain engraved in my memory for ever. Mick Ryan, judge – What a magical photograph and place. The Buddhist temples and pagodas fill the plains of Bagan in Myanmar at sunrise… the golden hour providing beautiful light to illuminate the retrogression of the temples and balloons toward a misty, mountainous distance. An excellent, exotic photograph that makes you want to book a flight”. (Photo by Alastair Swan/The Guardian)