FIN WHALE’S DEMISE
FIN WHALE, BALAENOPTERA PHYSALUS
STATUS: VULNERABLEMat Beetson, Western Australia
Th e fi n whale is sighted regularly in this region; seeing
one beached, however, is rare. Th e whale sits less than 5m
from shore and 100m from residential homes, giving whale
researchers access to an unusual occurrence for this species.
Bronze whalers and great whites feasted over the remains
before removal.Cheynes Beach, Albany, Western AustraliaDJI Phantom 4 Pro Drone, 24mm, 1/500, f/5.6,
ISO 100, 118m high, fi lmed with permission of
The WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation
and Attractions.OVERALL
WINNER
September. October 63Despite seeing millions of nature
photographs over the decades, we have
never seen anything that remotely resembles
this image. Unique and exciting, it reveals
incredible beauty in death. Rather than
being an inanimate scene, the image is
given life by the circling shark, which in
turn reminds us of the ecological function
of the dead whale, providing food and
energy to the living organisms around it.
The image surprises by revealing such a
shocking scene in a beautiful setting, and
speaks volumes of the new dimension
the latest technology has opened up for
photographers.
JUDGES’ COMMENTS