WINNERS’ CROWNED IN AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
A CONFRONTING photograph of a humpback whale carcass and circling sharks on the ocean floor in Coral Bay, Western Australia has won the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition for 2022.
Nature’s Prey by Ashlee Jansen captures a harsh act of Mother Nature, but an important part of the natural ecosystem.
Based in Western Australia, Ms Jansen captured her winning shot in July 2021 after a sub-adult whale died while making the annual migration north along the Ningaloo Reef.
“Tour boats had been watching the young whale for days as it slowly moved through the bay, appearing sicker and slower with more shark bites over its body day after day,” Jansen recalled.
“Friends had spotted an oil slick on the surface caused by the fallen whale. As they got closer, they were hit by the distinct smell and knew that they had found the location of the carcass resting on the ocean floor.”
“Excited to share their find, I rushed out to their location and jumped in the water to find the skeleton of the young humpback whale
