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)

The Christmas tree is lit at Rockefeller Center in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 30, 2022. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

A French bulldog wears a costume at the annual Pet Expo 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand on November 25, 2021. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Drone view of vehicles after part of the ceiling collapsed in a mall in Osasco, Brazil on March 9, 2023. (Photo by Carla Carniel/Reuters)

A man takes pictures of the Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, as it glows on the horizon over waters of Lake Ellesmere on the outskirts of Christchurch on April 24, 2023. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama/AFP Photo)

Youths pose for a photo, while doing their homework in an area once home to chop houses, where gangs dismembered enemies, but is now a “humanitarian space” in Buenaventura, Colombia, Wednesday, August 16, 2023. (Photo by Fernando Vergara/AP Photo)

England fans celebrate their side's third goal of the game, scored by England's Marcus Rashford, at BoxPark Wembley, during a screening of the FIFA World Cup Group B match between Wales and England on Tuesday, November 29, 2022. (Photo by Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

People visit the sunflowers installation, which is a part of the immersive exhibition “Van Gogh Alive” featuring large scale of Van Gogh artworks, produced by Grande Experiences during a media event in Tokyo on January 11, 2024. (Photo by Philip Fong/AFP Photo)