PEOPLE’S CHOICE: WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023
A STUNNING image of a young polar bear drifting to sleep on an iceberg by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani has won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.
“Sarikhani’s breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet,” Natural History Museum director Dr Douglas Gurr said.
“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.”
Sarikhani captured the image after three days searching for polar bears through thick fog off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.
Four other outstanding finalists were highly commended in the competition which also saw two Australian photographers shortlisted: Cooma, NSW photographer Charles Davis, for his image Duckling Huddle, and Sydney photographer Ofer Levy, for his image Neighbourhood dispute.
