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)

American media personality and socialite Kylie Jenner (R) and her pal Yris Palmer brave the cold in a hot jacuzzi in the first decade of December 2022. (Photo by kyliejenner/Instagram)

“Wednesday” star, American actress Jenna Ortega in the last decade of January 2023 poses in white lingerie. (Photo by jennaortega/Instagram)

Manchester City's Phil Foden takes a corner kick in a match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London on March 11, 2023. (Photo by John Sibley/Action Images via Reuters)

People in costumes are pictured during the annual Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival on 5th Ave in New York, Sunday, April 9, 2023. (Photo by Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

The Milky Way rising above Durdle Door in Dorset, United Kingdom on Saturday night, March 18, 2023. The image consists of 19 two-minute exposures, ten of the foreground and nine of the sky which needed a motorised star tracker to ensure the Milky Way wasn't blurry. All the photos were merged together to reveal more detail than what the naked eye can see. (Photo by Nick Bull/Picture Exclusive)

Dogs and their owners wearing all types of colorful costumes participate in the Elizabeth Street Garden Halloween Pet Parade on November 4, 2023 in New York City. The parade was posponed from October dur to bad weather. (Photo by Andrew Schwartz/Splash News and Pictures)

Huang Mei-ya in a scene from Lunar Halo by Cloud Gate at Sadler's Wells in London in the last decade of November 2023. (Photo by Tristram Kenton/the Guardian)