British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani triumphed in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award, presented by the renowned British Natural History Museum. His photo of a polar bear serenely resting on an ice floe was chosen by global wildlife enthusiasts over 25 competing photos. Sarikhani secured the People’s Choice Award with over 75,000 votes from nature lovers worldwide, reflecting a record number of votes for the competition.
"Nima’s breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet. His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat and serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss," Natural History Museum Director Douglas Gurr said.
After three days of searching for polar bears through thick fog off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, the expedition vessel Nima decided to change course and headed toward where there was still some sea ice. Here they encountered two polar bears. Just before midnight, the young male clambered onto a small iceberg and, using his strong paws, clawed away at it to carve out a bed for himself. Nima captured the dreamlike moment the young bear drifted off to sleep.
"I am so honored to have won this year's People’s Choice award for WPY, the most prestigious wildlife photography competition. This photograph has stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it. Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope; there is still time to fix the mess we have caused," Nima said.
