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Justin Gilligan new photography award

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Rich Reflections by Justin Gilligan
‘Rich Reflections’ by Justin Gilligan

Justin Gilligan, The Lord Howe Island Signal

I’m excited that my image ‘Rich Reflections’ has been announced as the winner of the Plants and Fungi category of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The digital awards ceremony was just broadcast live from the Natural History Museum in London, with more than 50,000 entries from 95 countries.

My image features marine ranger Caitlin Woods exploring a pool in the world’s southernmost tropical coral reef framed by soft fronds of red, brown and green seaweeds. It fringes the leeward side of Australia’s Lord Howe Island, far out in the Pacific.

The convergence here of warm and cold ocean currents results in an exceptionally rich ecosystem, with at least 318 species of seaweed, including 47 species found nowhere else.

These forests of seaweed not only support hundreds of animals but also capture carbon and oxygenate the water. Yet, they survive on a knife’s edge threatened by a changing climate and warming seas.

It’s exciting to have the opportunity to celebrate a thriving marine ecosystem protected by a marine park and a world heritage listing. Through this image I hoped to create the effect of stepping into a magical undersea grotto to celebrate the vibrant diversity of this seaweed jungle and the value of looking after such an important place.

The Lord Howe Island Signal 30 October 2021

This article appeared in The Lord Howe Island Signal, 30 October 2021.

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