The Nature inFocus Photography Awards 2023, based in India, recognizes both local and international photographers capturing critical moments in the natural world, from rare sightings to conservation issues. In the "Animal Behavior" category, wildlife photographer Avinash PC focuses on an ant feasting on some honeydew secreted from aphids.
The winners were presented with their awards during a ceremony on July 29 in Bangalore -- including Hiren Pagi, whose birds-eye view of India's Vishwamitri River with Mugger crocodiles was among those that won the "Conservation Focus" category. In this image, Pagi unveils the state of their home with the river becoming a dumping ground for waste.
Hiren Pagi/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
A six-member jury composed of wildlife and environmental specialists selected the winning photographs for each category from 24,000 images that were submitted by 1,500 photographers. For the "Wildscape and Animals in Their Habitat" category, photographer Amit Eshel traveled to Israel's Zin Desert to capture two male Nubian ibexes in a heated face-off during rutting season.
Amit Eshel/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
In this wholesome portrait taken by Christian Ziegler, a bonobo embraces a mongoose pup near Salonga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to WWF, the bonobo is a species of great ape that shares 98.7% of their DNA with humans -- however, they're currently an endangered species facing threats such as poaching and habitat loss.
Christian Ziegler/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
In the "Creative Nature Photography" category, photographer Kai Kolodziej captures a minimalist moment where a tiny mayfly is peacefully perched atop a blade of grass.
Kai Kolodziej/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
One of the winners of the "Animal Portraits" category is Suliman Alatiqi who captures a species of seabird called the brown booby, which dive headfirst into the ocean to feed.
Suliman Alatiqi
Afroj Sheikh captures a tough scene for his winning photograph in the "Animal Behavior" category: a leopard attacks a mother and baby langur.
In the "Wildscape and Animals in Their Habitat" category, this photograph by Amit Vyas earned a special mention. It depicts a lone tiger traversing Ranthambore National Park in India.
Amit Vyas/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
Tom Shlesinger's photograph of an Atlantic goliath grouper led to a special mention in the "Animal Portraits" category. The massive fish can live for dozens of years and grow up to 2.5 meters long.
Tom Shlesinger/Courtesy Nature InFocus Photography Awards
Srikanth Mannepuri, a wildlife conservationist, filmmaker, and photographer, earned the "Photographer of the Year -- Portfolio" title. In his photostory, Mannepuri turns the lens to the devastation mangrove forests face from plastic waste, deforestation, and aquaculture.
