SA photographers shine

Locals score big in global competition

FOUR South African photographers have been recognised for their successful images at the Wildlife Photographers of the Year 2018 competition held at the Natural History Museum in London.

Several South African photographers represented the nation, with Isak Pretorius recognised for his fine work in Animal Portraits, Tertius A Gous recognised in the category of Behaviour: Mammals; and Susan Scott for her highly commended image in the category of Wildlife Photojournalism Award.

South African Skye Meaker, 16, took the grand title award for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year with his winning shot that captures a leopard waking from sleep in the beautiful Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana.

Meaker has wanted to pursue photography since receiving his first small pocket camera at the age of seven.

Competition judge and previous competition winner Alexander Badyaev said: “With precisely executed timing and composition we get a coveted glimpse into the inner world of one of the most frequently photographed, yet rarely truly seen, animals,”.

Dutch photographer Marsel van Oosten won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 title for his extraordinary image.

His image “The Golden Couple” frames a pair of golden snub-nosed monkeys in China’s Qinling Mountain forests, which is said to be the only habitat for the endangered mammals.

The two grand title images were selected among 19 category winners which all depicted the diversity of life on our planet and displayed rarely seen animal behaviour.

Out of a profound 45 000 entries from 95 countries, Marsel and Skye’s winning images will be on show in lightbox displays along with the images of 98 other photographs.

Entries are open to all ages and abilities for the next 2019 competition, on Monday October 22 and closes on December 13.

If you would like to enter the com- petition, feel free to visit the Natural History Museum’s website on: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/wpy/competition.html

Interact on The Wildlife Photographer of the Year’s social media platforms on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/wildlifephotographeroftheyear; Twitter: @NHM_WPY; Instagram: @nhm_wpy; Hashtag: #WPY54

We get a coveted glimpse into the inner world of one of the most frequently photographed, yet rarely truly seen, animals

DUTCH photographer Marsel van Oosten won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 title for his extraordinary image. “The Golden Couple” frames a pair of golden snub-nosed monkeys in China’s Qinling Mountain forests, which is said to be the only habitat for the endangered mammals.

SUSAN Scott was highly commended for her image in the category of Wildlife Photojournalism Award. Her photograph is of an orphan rehabilitator feeding his charges in the early morning. These black rhino calves lost their mothers to poaching just a few months ago. With them is Axel Tarifa from the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage.

TERTIUS A Gous was highly commended for his image of meerkats in the category of Behaviour: Mammals. Meerkats live in packs of up to 30 individuals and occupy several warrens in their territory. These charismatic mongooses are in the central and western areas of southern Africa and favour dry, open rangeland with good visibility to detect predators.

SIXTEEN-year-old South African Skye Meaker took the grand title award for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year with his winning shot that captures a leopard waking from sleep in the beautiful Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana.