Unusual Underwater Scenery Wins 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award

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The winners of the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition have been revealed at an online awards ceremony.

Chosen from more than 50,000 entries from 95 countries, French photographer and biologist Laurent Ballista was announced as Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his enigmatic photo, Creation, which captures camouflaged clusters emerging from a milk cloud of eggs and sperm in Fakarava, French Polynesia.

Every year, for five years, Laurent and his team would return to this lake, diving day and night so they wouldn’t miss the annual spawning that occurs only at the full moon in July.

After dark, hundreds of gray sharks joined them, hunting groupers in groups. Overfishing threatens this endangered species, but the fish is protected here within a special biosphere reserve.

Jury Chair, Writer and Editor Rosamund ‘Roz’ Kidman Cox OBE said: ‘The picture works on so many levels. It’s amazing, lively, intriguing and has another beauty. It also captures a magical moment – a truly explosive creativity of life – leaving the tail end of the migration egg hanging for a moment. Like a symbolic question mark.”

Dr Doug Gore, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: “This year’s Grand Prize winner reveals a hidden underwater world, a fleeting moment of remarkable animal behavior that few have witnessed.

“In what could be a pivotal year for our planet, with lively discussions taking place at COP15 and COP26, Laurent Ballesta’s creation is a compelling reminder of what we stand to lose if we don’t address humanity’s impact on our planet.

“The protection that the Biosphere Reserve provides to this endangered species highlights the positive difference we can make.”

This year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year has been developed and produced by the Natural History Museum in London

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