Unveiling Nature's Enigmatic Gem: The Mesmerizing Snapshot that Captured the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

Call to Earth, a CNN editorial series, is dedicated to covering the environmental challenges that our planet is currently facing, as well as the solutions to those challenges. Partnering with CNN, the Rolex Perpetual Planet initiative aims to raise awareness and educate the public about important sustainability issues and encourage positive action.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 competition has produced striking images, including a haunting picture of a mushroom, a dying orca stranded on a beach, and a captivating scene of Nubian ibex engaged in a fierce battle atop a cliff.

The grand title of this year has been awarded to Laurent Ballesta, a French underwater photographer and marine biologist. He captured a stunning image of a horseshoe crab on the seafloor, accompanied by three golden trevally fish swimming above its back. Remarkably, this is Ballesta's second time winning the honor. Last year, he took home the top prize with his captivating shot of camouflage groupers in a cloud of eggs and sperm. Kathy Moran, the chair of the jury and editor, described the sight of a vibrant horseshoe crab thriving in its natural habitat as awe-inspiring.

Stunning photographs of leopards play a vital role in safeguarding the future of this elusive majestic feline. Despite being older than dinosaurs, with fossils dating back 475 million years, the species is currently under threat due to habitat destruction and overfishing. In numerous regions across the globe, horseshoe crabs are still being harvested for their valuable blue blood, essential for vaccine development.

Other award-winning images portray the detrimental impact of human activity on wildlife. For instance, there is a photograph showcasing a stretch of land in Mexico that has been stripped of its forests to pave the way for a new tourist railway line. Additionally, there is an aerial view capturing the Ciliwung river, which is heavily contaminated, as it winds its way through Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia.

Young photographer Carmel Bechler discovered several barn owls in an abandoned concrete building near a busy road.

Carmel Bechler/Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Wildlife, in some cases, is seen adapting to human surroundings, as depicted in a photograph featuring two barn owls gazing out from a window of an abandoned building by a roadside. The image earned Carmel Bechler, a 17-year-old photographer from Israel, the title of Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Bechler's skillful utilization of natural light and long exposure times to capture the movement of passing traffic garnered widespread recognition and applaud. Bechler expressed his intent to convey through his photography that the splendor of the natural world exists all around us, even in the most unexpected places, if only we would open our eyes and minds.

The 59th edition of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, organized by the Natural History Museum of London, recently announced its winners. Chosen from a staggering 50,000 submissions received from 95 countries, the winning entries were revealed during an awards ceremony held on Tuesday. By showcasing the incredible variety of life on our planet, the competition aims to ignite a sense of responsibility and encourage support for the preservation of our natural environment.

Here are ten photographs that have successfully raised awareness about the urgent issue of climate change.

The museum will showcase the images starting from Friday, followed by an international tour. Alongside this, the exhibition will incorporate videos that demonstrate the significance of wildlife photography and inspire visitors to take actions in safeguarding the planet.

Doug Gurr, director of the Natural History Museum, expressed, "This year's winning images evoke a profound sense of amazement and admiration, while also presenting compelling evidence of our influence on nature, be it positive or negative."

"Global promises must shift to action to turn the tide on natures decline," he added.