Flames and smoke rising after a fire that broke out in Izmir province of Aegean Turkey on August 19, 2019. Fire brigade crew continue their works. Forest fires have consumed some 500 hectares (over 1,200 acres) of land in Izmir, Turkeys Aegean coast. On Sunday, the fires broke out in four different regions – including two in the southwestern Mugla province and others in Izmir province, according to Agriculture and Forest Ministry. (Photo by Emin Menguarslan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A demonstrator dances as riot police try to prevent LGBT rights activists gather for a Pride parade, which was banned by local authorities, in central in Istanbul, Turkey on June 26, 2021. (Photo by Dilara Senkaya/Reuters)

A mischievous squirrel chases a turkey in a garden in Medford, Wisconsin in the second decade of January 2024. The garden’s owner, artist Cheryl Plautz, said the squirrels chase the birds “for fun”. (Photo by Cheryl Plautz/Solent News)

Snow and ice adorn trees in Ovacık district, Turkey on February 20, 2020. The country has been experiencing heavy snowfall this month. (Photo by Sidar Can Eren/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A model backstage ahead of the Rasit Bagzibagli show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Istanbul at on March 27, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Sinem Yazici/Getty Images for IMG)

Tearful Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu after the UEFA EURO 2024 Quarter-Final football match between Netherlands and Turkiye at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany on July 06, 2024. (Photo by Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters)

A tree frog uses a leaf as an umbrella in pouring rain in Karacabey floodplain near the city of Bursa, Turkey in the first decade of June 2023. (Photo by Savas Sener/Solent News & Photo Agency)

Honorable Mention: “The Storm”. During I was taking photo with my nephew, the storm came and I caught this beautiful moment. Photo location: Kocaeli, Turkey. (Photo and caption by Aytül Akbaş/National Geographic Photo Contest)