Hookpod – Saving the southern wanderers
Photographer: John Holmes/BPOTY 2019 shortlist.
Light-mantled albatross, Phoebetria palpebrata, south Atlantic Ocean.
During the judging process the BPOTY team was struck by this stunning
image of a light-mantled albatross, a quintessential Southern Ocean
seabird. An estimated 320,000 seabirds are unintentionally killed each
year by fishing activities, of which 100,000 are albatrosses. Hookpod is
an innovative solution that has the potential to eliminate the unnecessary
deaths of seabirds killed as a result of longline fishing.Gurney’s pitta – Lost and found?
Photographer: Wang Bin/BPOTY 2019 shortlist.
Gurney’s pitta, Hydrornis gurneyi, Lenya, Myanmar. Pittas are a group
of birds in tropical Africa and Asia, and their fate is inextricably linked to
the forests they inhabit and the deforestation that blights them. With no
sightings from 1952 to 1985 the species Gurney’s pitta was presumed
extinct. Then in 1986 it was seen in Thailand, and there was hope. They
dwindled to nine known pairs, but the species was rediscovered in
Myanmar in 2003. However, their catastrophic decline continues.Atlantic puffin – An iconic
species in decline
Photographer: Photographer: Marc
Weber/BPOTY 2019 shortlist.
Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica, Unst,
Shetland Isles, Scotland. Marc’s image
sends an environmental message and
conveys a sense of the illusory nature of
abundance. At nesting colonies puffins
appear plentiful, but the species is in
decline globally in reality.Entering its fifth year, Bird Photographer of
the Year (BPOTY) continues to grow, broaden
its community horizons and expand what it
does for conservation.
Paul Sterry explains BPOTY’s
commitment to the environment, its
vision for the future and the importance
of using imagery to highlight conservation
concerns: “As naturalists, photographers
and conservationists, the BPOTY team seesfirst-hand the mounting pressures on bird
populations around the world.
“If bird photography is going to thrive, we
must all do our bit to reverse the decline
of bird species and support conservation
efforts. World-class imagery has the potential
to inspire people to care, and maybe shame
some into action. And raising and donating
money is another tangible way we can help.
With every passing year the BPOTY teamcontinues to be amazed by both the range of
talent and the number of new species that
are submitted. This year we were thrilled to
see images of threatened and iconic species
appearing, with stories to tell about the effect
we, as humans, have had and continue to have
on the environment.
“We share some of the images that have
inspired us to expand our support for various
conservation causes for 2020 and beyond.”Bird Photographer
of the Year
Imagery and conservation
in partnership