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"His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat," Gurr added, noting that the image "serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss."
According to the outlet, the amateur wildlife photographer captured the photo off the coast of Norway's Svalbard archipelago. Sarikhani spent three days navigating the area's cold waters before tracking down the lone polar bear lounging on the ice.
The image is a vivid illustration of the threat to polar wildlife, which scientists say is a consequence of the climate crisis. The small iceberg offers only fleeting shelter for the bear — a microcosm of how polar habitats keep shrinking as the world heats up.
Nima Sarikhani ~ Ice Bed - 2024
A photograph of a polar bear's cozy nap on a piece of sea ice has been selected as the winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award. Nature and photography lovers picked the image of the resting mammal, captured by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani and titled "Ice Bed," out of 25 finalists. The photo received the most attention, with over 75,000 votes. Before judges selected the photo as a finalist, "Ice Bed" was submitted as one of 49,957 total entries to this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The contest, produced by London's Natural History Museum, received photos from 95 countries in 2023.
"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," Sarikhani said of his winning polar bear shot, per CNN. Four other finalists received recognition from the competition: "The Happy Turtle" by Tzahi Finkelstein, "Starling Murmuration" by Daniel Dencescu, "Shared Parenting" by Mark Boyd, and "Aurora Jellies" by Audun Rikardsen. These four pieces and "Ice Bed" will be on exhibit at London's Natural History Museum through June 30.
"Sarikhani's breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet," Natural History Museum director Dr. Douglas Gurr told the BBC.
"Sarikhani's breathtaking and poignant image allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet," Natural History Museum director Dr. Douglas Gurr told the BBC.
"His thought-provoking image is a stark reminder of the integral bond between an animal and its habitat," Gurr added, noting that the image "serves as a visual representation of the detrimental impacts of climate warming and habitat loss."
According to the outlet, the amateur wildlife photographer captured the photo off the coast of Norway's Svalbard archipelago. Sarikhani spent three days navigating the area's cold waters before tracking down the lone polar bear lounging on the ice.
The image is a vivid illustration of the threat to polar wildlife, which scientists say is a consequence of the climate crisis. The small iceberg offers only fleeting shelter for the bear — a microcosm of how polar habitats keep shrinking as the world heats up.
The WWF, says there are 22,000 polar bears left in the wild. The species is classified as vulnerable — a category less severe than endangered. The WWF said the bears are under pressure from the impact of the climate crisis on the Arctic, which is warming at around twice as fast as the global average.
"The next 15 years will close out what the U.N. defined as the critical decade to act on climate change," Lehner said in a press release published in May 2023.
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Business Insider ~ polar bear napping on iceberg driving conversation about climate crisis
Hindustani Times ~ Poignant picture of sleeping polar bear wins Wildlife Photographer People's Choice Award
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