Tony North; First place, Breathing Spaces; Overall Winner; Blue Tajinaste, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. “Echium thyrsiflorum is endemic to the mountains of La Palma island – from high up, there was a magnificent view of both the caldera below, and the stars above. The Unesco La Palma biosphere reserve encompasses the entire island, with the Caldera de Taburiente containing mountains with a highest peak of 2,426 metres – the Roque de los Muchachos”. (Photo by Tony North/IGPOTY)

Global wildlife populations will decline by 67% by 2020 unless urgent action is taken to reduce human impact on species and ecosystems, warns the biennial Living Planet Index report from WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and ZSL (Zoological Society of London). From elephants to eels, here are some of the wildlife populations most affected by human activity. Here: The maned wolf is among the large mammals in the Brazilian Cerrado that are threatened by the increasing conversion of grasslands into farmland for grazing and growing crops. (Photo by Ben Cranke/Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo)

David Goffin of Belgium meets a koala during a promotional event for the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park on January 17, 2018. (Photo by Fiona Hamilton/Reuters/Tennis Australia)

In this April 16, 2015 photo, costume jewelry is on display for sale at al-Aqeeliya open-air auction market in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A man came with the suitcase full of beaded jewelry and sold the whole bag to the auction winner, who had just a few moments to inspect its contents before buying. (Photo by Hasan Jamali/AP Photo)

One of ten little spotted kiwi is released on Motuihe Island, a conservation pest-free island close to Auckland, on March 21, 2009 in Auckland, New Zealand. Eventually up to 40 endangered kiwi birds will be relocated to the island. (Photo by Hannah Johnston/Getty Images)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier struggles with his glasses and face mask as he attends a press conference after visiting the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg, Austria, Saturday, August 22, 2020. (Photo by Kerstin Joensson/AP Photo)

Kevin Jay and Nigel Cox perform some light painting on the beach at Frinton-on-Sea in Essex, UK using colour changing LED light wands during a 25-second exposure on March 4, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Jay/Picture Exclusive)

A person wearing a face mask holds a cat on Swanston Street after cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)