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)

Benfica's Portuguese forward Goncalo Ramos (R) vies with Portimonense's Japonese goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura (L) during the Portuguese League football match between SL Benfica and Portimonense SC at Luz stadium in Lisbon on January 6, 2023. (Photo by Patrícia de Melo Moreira/AFP Photo)

Pic shows two males tigers sparring for dominance over a female in the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state in India on Monday, January 16, 2023. The spectacular images of the big cats were taken by Narayan Malu who was just 150 yards from the action. (Photo by Narayan Malu/Magnus News)

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)

A devotee participates in Bonalu festival in Hyderabad, India, Thursday, June 22, 2023. Bonalu is a month-long Hindu folk festival of the Telangana region dedicated to Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction. (Photo by Mahesh Kumar A./AP Photo)

American singer Dove Cameron arrives for the world premiere of “The Flash” at Ovation Hollywood in Hollywood, California, on June 12, 2023. (Photo by Michael Tran/AFP Photo)

American Song Contest winner, American singer, dancer and actress based in South Korea AleXa arrives to the 2022 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022. (Photo by Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

A man wearing a headgear walks along with his child on a street in Banda Aceh on July 25, 2023. (Photo by Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP Photo)