“New Kid in School” by Yung-Sen Wu. All images courtesy of BigPicture, shared with permission
Encompassing plumes of mushroom spores, preying venus flytraps, and an opportunistic leopard seal, the 2021 contest showcases the beautiful, peculiar, and resilient flora and fauna across the globe. Now in its eighth year, the annual competition, which is held by the California Academy of Sciences, is centered largely around conservation and humans’ impact on the environment. The 2021 contest garnered entries showing the profound changes to the planet in recent months alone by documenting the desolate landscape following Australian bushfires and a disposable face mask floating off the coast of California. See some of the winning shots below and all finalists on . (via )
“Hope Amidst the Ashes” by Jo-Anne McArthur
“Ice Bears” by Peter Mather
Top left: “Sign of the Tides” by Ralph Pace. Top right: “Boss” by Michelle Valberg. Bottom left: “Another Planet” by Fran Rubia. Bottom right: “Facing Reality” by Amos Nachoum
“Nutritional Supplement” by Nick Kanakis
Left: “Rain Dance” by Sarang Naik. Top right: “Running Atta” by Petr Bambousek. Bottom right: “Beak to Beak” by Shane Kalyn
“Taking a Load Off” by Nicolas Reusens
“Down the Hatch” by Angel Fitor